Unfortunately at this time, there are no official omega-3 dosage guidelines for children, let alone for ADHD treatment.

However, fish oil doesn’t really have any side effects, and you can’t overdose on it. In fact, a number of the ADHD studies that found significant benefit gave dosages that were very high, though some study participants experienced mild gastric upset.

While acceptable intake levels of omega-3 fatty acids for children haven’t been defined, some say 150-250mg a day for 1-3 years of age; others say 500 mg a day is safe. For ages 4-8, some say give 500mg a day, while others say up to 1000mg/day. It’s kind of all over the map, huh? Interestingly enough, Dr. Barry Sears, a “founding father” of omega-3 research, recommends a 1 gram of EPA/DHA per day in the liquid form as early as six months and then increasing to 2.5 grams of EPA and DHA per day after age 2! While this is more than the AHA recommends for adults, Sears did lead one of the ADHD studies that administered high doses of fish oil with significant beneficial results…

Dosage for children is, at this time, trial and error. So my advice? Confer with your child’s physician (necessary disclaimer and good advice if your child has one) and find a baseline dose that you’re comfortable with to start. Monitor your child’s results, and gradually increase as necessary, over time. This way, you’re not giving your child more than needed to obtain the results for which you’re both looking.

Please keep in mind — giving your child fish oil from a reputable company that ensures the purity of their products (preferably with a third-party testing organization) is very important. Hope that shines a little light on the situation until some official guidelines come out!