title: Dietary docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in children with autism.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine †Department of Psychology and Psychiatry ‡Department of Health Sciences Research §Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN ||Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX ¶Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Mellon
authors.forename: Slavica K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Katusic
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Matern
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mellon
authors.forename: Craig L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Barbaresi
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D066107:Social Skills
chemical_list: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids