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document
Dietary docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in children with autism . OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine whether docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) supplementation improves the behavior of children with autism . METHODS A group of 3- to 10-year-old children with autism were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive a supplement containing 200 mg of DHA or a placebo for 6 months . The parents and the investigator completed the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale to rate changes in core symptoms of autism after 3 and 6 months . The parents completed the Child Development Inventory and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist , and both parents and teachers completed the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children ( BASC ) at enrollment and after 6 months . RESULTS A total of 48 children ( 40 [ 83 % ] boys , mean age [ standard deviation ] 6.1 [ 2.0 ] years ) were enrolled ; 24 received DHA and 24 placebo . Despite a median 431 % increase in total plasma DHA levels after 6 months , the DHA group was not rated as improved in core symptoms of autism compared to the placebo group on the CGI-I . Based on the analysis of covariance models adjusted for the baseline rating scores , parents ( but not teachers ) provided a higher average rating of social skills on the BASC for the children in the placebo group compared to the DHA group ( P = 0.04 ) , and teachers ( but not parents ) provided a higher average rating of functional communication on the BASC for the children in the DHA group compared to the placebo group ( P = 0.02 ) . CONCLUSIONS Dietary DHA supplementation of 200 mg/day for 6 months does not improve the core symptoms of autism . Our results may have been limited by inadequate sample size .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Dietary docosahexaenoic acid supplementation
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Intervention_Pharmacological
docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) supplementation
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Intervention_Pharmacological
DHA
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Pharmacological
DHA
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Pharmacological
DHA
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Intervention_Pharmacological
DHA
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Intervention_Pharmacological
DHA
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Intervention_Pharmacological
DHA
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Outcome_Mental
behavior
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Outcome_Mental
Behavior Assessment Scale for Children ( BASC )
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Outcome_Physical
total plasma DHA levels
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Outcome_Mental
rating of social skills on the BASC
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Outcome_Mental
average rating of functional communication
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Participant_Condition
autism
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Participant_Condition
children with autism
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Participant_Age
3- to 10-year-old children with
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Participant_Sample-size
48 children
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Participant_Age
(
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Participant_Age
boys , mean age [ standard deviation ] 6.1 [ 2.0 ] years )