"How soon can I start my kids on omega 3 fish oils?" I'm asked this question all the time. People read about the wonderful benefits for children of the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil, but there never seems to be any guidelines on when to start. A lot of people are surprised to learn that I start supplementing my children's diet with high quality, pure fish oil as soon as they turn six months old. The kids were all nursed up until that point and my wife was supplementing her diet with fish oil while pregnant and nursing. This is so important because the omega 3 fatty acids, especially DHA, will make a HUGE difference in a child's brain development, motor skills, language skills, thinking skills, vision, ability to sleep at night and much more. So how do you give fish oil to a 6 month old? Here's how we did it. We pierced the capsule, squeezed a small amount onto a baby spoon and popped it into their mouths. It's fun to watch a baby adjust to the taste of fish oils and it actually doesn't take them long. With a little encouragement and lots of smiles, they'll be reaching for the capsules faster than you can give it to them. A little word of caution: don't wear nice clothes in the beginning. One of our children loved to make raspberries with their tongue after taking the fish oil and it would go everywhere. It was hard to get mad though, because he looked so cute when he did it. If your kids are past the baby stage, don't despair. It's not too late to start giving them fish oil. It just takes a little more commitment and creativity to get the job done. If your children can swallow capsules, you won't have any problem. As long as they don't drink any hot liquids (like tea) right after taking their fish oil, they shouldn't burp the taste. If they're not able to swallow capsules yet, you can try giving them the fish oil on a spoon and then following up very quickly with a spoon full of applesauce or mashed banana. Just be sure to have your backup food ready to go before you give them the fish oil. You can also give them a drink of water to help wash it all down. It may not be pleasant the first few times, but if they see that you're not going to give up, they'll get used to it pretty quickly. And when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of how important the omega 3 oils are to your child's health. If you're not eating fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines or anchovies at least 3 times a week, your family is not getting enough omega 3s. Believe me! The results are worth the effort. You will see a big difference in your child's overall health, mental and physical abilities. Don't wait another day to start.
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