How to Improve the Behavior of Under-Performing Children

According to investigators at the Oxford University Center for Evidence-Based Intervention, under-performing children who consume daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids tend to display improvements in reading skills and behavior.

The team carried out the research on otherwise-healthy children aged 7 to 9, who performed poorly on their standardized reading tests. Some of the kids were given a placebo, and acted as control subjects, PsychCentral reports.

“Our results showed that taking daily supplements of omega-3 DHA improved reading performance for the poorest readers (those in the lowest fifth of the normal range) and helped these children to catch up with their peer group,” Oxford senior research fellow, Alex Richardson, PhD, explains.

In addition to improving behavior and reading skills, omega-3 fatty acids were previously shown to have beneficial effects on conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and Developmental Coordination Disorder.