DHA is the omega-3 essential fatty acid with the highest concentration in brain. The leading omega-6 essential fatty acid in the diet is linoleic acid. The dose of GLA needed is 135 to 270 milligrams per day, with older larger children needing the higher doses. Proper EFA supplementation will improve not only behavior but also dryness of the skin and hair and brittle nails. These symptoms often indicate a deficiency of magnesium or calcium.
Hyperactive children become magnesium deficient for two reasons.
First, like most American children, they consume less than the RDA of magnesium. Second, the high adrenaline levels associated with hyperactivity cause them to excrete excessive amounts of magnesium in the urine causing magnesium deficiency by depletion. Observational studies in Germany and in France reveal a high frequency of symptomatic magnesium deficiency in hyperactive children, especially those with headaches or abdominal pain. In my clinical practice I have found magnesium supplementation to be especially useful for sleep disturbances in children with ADHD, although the effects on hyperactive behavior are minimal. The dose needed is 100 milligrams per day for younger children and 200 milligrams for older children, taken at bedtime.