מחקר אוקספורד דורהם המראה שיפור ניכר בסימפטומים של ילדים הלוקים בחוסר קשב וריכוז המטופלים באומגה 3
The Oxford-Durham Study: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Dietary
Supplementation With Fatty Acids in Children With Developmental
Coordination Disorder
Alexandra J. Richardson, DPhil(Oxon)*, and Paul Montgomery, DPhil(Oxon)‡§
ABSTRACT
Background. Developmental coordination
disorder (DCD) affects 5% of school-aged children.
In addition to the core deficits in motor function, this
condition is associated commonly with difficulties in
learning, behavior, and psychosocial adjustment that
persist into adulthood. Mounting evidence suggests that
a relative lack of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids may
contribute to related neurodevelopmental and psychiatric
disorders such as dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder. Given the current lack of effective,
evidence-based treatment options for DCD, the use of
fatty acid supplements merits investigation.
Methods. A randomized, controlled trial of dietary
supplementation with -3 and -6 fatty acids, compared
with placebo, was conducted with 117 children with
DCD (5–12 years of age). Treatment for 3 months in
parallel groups was followed by a 1-way crossover from
placebo to active treatment for an additional 3 months.
Results. No effect of treatment on motor skills was
apparent, but significant improvements for active treatment
versus placebo were found in reading, spelling, and
behavior over 3 months of treatment in parallel groups.
After the crossover, similar changes were seen in the
placebo-active group, whereas children continuing with
active treatment maintained or improved their progress.
Conclusions. Fatty acid supplementation may offer a
safe efficacious treatment option for educational and behavioral
problems among children with DCD. Additional
work is needed to investigate whether our inability
to detect any improvement in motor skills reflects the
measures used and to assess the durability of treatment
effects on behavior and academic progress. Pediatrics
2005;115:1360–1366; developmental coordination disorder,
fish oil, supplementation, RCT, reading, spelling, behavior,
omega-3 fatty acids, dyspraxia.