Growing Child Health

Intake of Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding is central to the baby’s development and growth

 The dietary changes associated with our cultural development have caused lower contents of essential fatty acids in maternal milk. Intake of Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding is central to the baby’s development and growth, particularly from the third month of gestation throughout the first year, when their requirement is higher for the development of the nervous and visual systems

Omega-3s are critical for the fetus’ visual development

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for eye vision because they help the brain capture images faster. This happens because of their high concentration in the eye’s retina, responsible for transforming light energy into nervous energy. If we compare the eye to a camera, the retina represents the film. Deficit of Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy can cause decreased visual skills in the newborn child.

Omega-3s are essential to the child

During fetal life and up to the first year of life, there is an increase in the accumulation process of Omega-3 fatty acids in the baby’s brain. Fatty acids requirement increases during the growing and developing phases of cell tissues. Deficit of essential fatty acids may cause significant alterations in growth, learning, and development of motor functions, since these nutrients form the brain’s cell membranes and are a part of the nervous system structure.

Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) with Omega-3

Essential fatty acids help control ADHD by improving concentration skills and by helping develop a systematic activity, because they are indispensable to the brain section that coordinates memory and reasoning.

Omega-3s fortify the newborn child’s immunological system

An additional Omega-3 benefit concerns the immunological system. Research findings show a regulatory effect in the synthesis of substances that may cause disorders such as fever, pain, swelling and irritation.