Trevor and Maxine Bellwood panicked when they were told their little boy was autistic. Health correspondent Barry Nelson met the family and found out how a food supplement has made all the difference.

LIKE most three-year-olds, Christopher Bellwood loves loud noises, adult attention and cartoons. Put on a track by rock legends Queen and young Christopher will grin and try to dance along with the pounding beat.

When his dad, Trevor, brings him home from nursery school he can't wait to rush across the room and hug his mum Maxine and then charge off to play with his older brother, Liam.

Watching the two youngsters tearing around their Newton Aycliffe home, jumping on and off their mum's sofa and easy chair, no-one would imagine that a small miracle has taken place.

Only a year ago, Maxine and Trevor Bellwood were so concerned about Christopher's behaviour that they asked to see a developmental specialist.

It was Trevor, 46, who was the first to notice that he didn't seem to be doing the things that other kids his age did. Most of the time Christopher ignored anybody who called his name and was very quiet and timid.

At nursery, he didn't mix well with the other children and would only play with the toys he selected when he arrived. If he was asked to join in any activities with other children, he would become upset. He seemed to be happier and better off playing quietly at home with his own toys.

Maxine, who works for the mobile phone company Orange, in Darlington, realised that this fitted in with other things about her son's behaviour she had noticed. "He hated loud noises - being in a noisy environment like a supermarket would overload his senses and he would become very distressed," she recalls.

In January 2004, a specialist tested Christopher and found he was about one year behind in his development. Then in May, the outlook suddenly got a lot worse. "Christopher was diagnosed with mild autism, which was obviously devastating," recalls Maxine.

The couple knew very little about the condition but found the advice of their local GP invaluable. "Our doctor said you should do three things: go home and get on the Internet and look up autism, get him a private speech and language therapist and get him on eye q food supplements," says Maxine.

They discovered that autism is a little understood and debilitating developmental condition which often leaves children and adults in a world of their own.

While people with milder forms can often lead a near-normal life, it can cause major problems at the more severe end of the scale.

At first, Maxine wondered where she would get the supplements, which have already proved their worth in a trial involving dozens of County Durham school children with mild learning difficulties. "I looked in loads of specialist health food shops and then someone told me you get them from Boots. There was a two for one deal and I bought loads," says Maxine.

Equazen, which makes eye q, believes that many modern children lack what are known as long-chain fatty acids - naturally occurring substances which used to be absorbed through a more natural diet, including fresh fish. Their scientists have developed an easy-to-take food supplement which contains specially selected and very pure marine oil mixed with primrose oil.

The company claims that there is more and more evidence that this supplement can help children with developmental problems such as dyspraxia, hyper-activity and even autism.

At first, the couple were worried that Christopher would turn his nose up at the fish oil-based supplement. But by mixing the liquid with fruit juice, they were able to get around the problem.

Within a week, Trevor and Maxine noticed a difference in Christopher.

"He seemed calmer, less stressed and a lot less hyper and agitated," his mum recalls.

After a few months on daily eye q supplements, Christopher was a changed little boy. "Apart from being generally much calmer, he was sleeping much better as well," says Maxine.

She began gingerly taking him into busy, noisy shops and supermarkets and found her son was far more tolerant. "He just used to cry until I took him out but he stopped being so upset."

Another big change was Christopher's concentration span. "His concentration used to be only fleeting but it has really improved. It has gone from virtually zero to about 40 minutes," says Maxine.

Christopher's dad agrees. "He used to avoid eye contact but he is much better now - we have really noticed a big difference," says Trevor, who is a specialist tele-engineer.

One thrilling improvement is that Christopher will now say "dad" when he greets his father.

Their little boy has definitely got over his sensitivity to loud noises and even turns the television up himself. "He loves sitting in the front seat of the car when we go out and he has become very fond of Queen," says Trevor.

The couple were so encouraged by the effect of eye q on Christopher that they decided to try it on his brother. Experts had told the couple that Liam is slightly behind in his development, particularly in the areas of comprehension, instruction and speech. After just a week on eye q, Maxine noticed what she describes as small but significant changes.

"I'm delighted and I am just hoping for more improvement as he continues on the supplement," she says.

She has been told by Equazen that the earlier a child is given eye q, the more likely they are to respond. "They are apparently working on something they can give to expectant mothers when they are carrying children," says Maxine.

Dr Madelaine Portwood, an educational psychologist employed by Durham County Council's Education Service, is convinced of the benefits of eye q.

She is responsible for running the Durham trial, the world's biggest study of the effects of food supplements on schoolchildren, and says she is "not surprised" at the impact that eye q has had on Christopher Bellwood.

As she cuddles Christopher, Maxine says she is just glad she discovered eye q and wants to tell other parents about its remarkable properties.

"I would like to see every family with a developmental problem getting access to eye q. Really, I think it should be prescribed," she says.