Little Olivia Klinging looks just like any normal nine-year-old girl who is excited about returning to school in the new year. But a year ago, the east Belfast girl was on the brink of being sent to a special needs school — until her mum Ruth experimented with a miracle oil treatment.

Olivia, the youngest of four kids, started primary school in 2003, but by 2005 her parents had become increasingly concerned.

Olivia's standard of work was very poor and showed no sign of improvement.

Her mum Ruth said "she could not even write her own name" at the age of six. Her concentration and attention span was poor, not only in school, but also at home.

And when Olivia moved to Glencraig Integrated Primary School in Holywood, it soon became evident that she was out of her depth compared to the other children.

Ruth, a researcher, explained: “I feared it might be autism, absolutely. It had the hallmarks of the lower end of Asperger syndrome or dyslexia. But nobody was listening to me, I was banging my head up against a brick wall. It was hard to bear.

“What she could write she was writing back to front, some children will do that but not constantly. This was a bright child but just not processing, we'd been going round in circles for three years and the school recognised it as a serious problem.

“Without doubt for me it's dyslexia and dyscalculia. She could do nothing pen to paper, and there's a question mark over Asperger's, but it would only be on a minor scale.”

With still no improvement in her work, Ruth and her retired husband Richard had numerous discussions with the school and started to consider their options — which included moving her to a special needs school.

Then in February last year Ruth took a gamble. She herself suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, and was told about Paradox Omega Oil.

She decided to start giving some to Olivia, as she had read about the benefits of Omegas and thought it would not do any harm to let her try it.

Said Ruth: “Nobody would help us so I was forced to take matters into my own hands.

“She basically had three formal years of school not reading, not writing, nothing. She would not be able to survive in school as things stood. It was pure fluke, I just said 'stick this down your hatch'. I didn't think it wouldn't do her any harm.”

Three months after taking the oil Ruth noticed a difference in her daughter. There was a significant improvement in Olivia's schoolwork and concentration and by July Ruth could not believe the remarkable turnaround.

She said: “Olivia came into the living room and showed myself and her dad a page that she had written. To be honest, I was not sure at the time if she had actually written it and thought that perhaps my elder daughter had helped her.

“But Olivia assured us that she had written it herself and I was both astonished and delighted.

“My mother would have taken Olivia after school to try and help her with her homework and writing as she was a teacher herself who taught special needs children.

“She called me one afternoon not too long after this and was absolutely amazed at the improvement in Olivia.

“For us it really is a miracle cure when you think how we were in the depths of despair — it's an amazing turnaround.”

This improvement continued and her family and teachers are totally delighted with the improvement in her schoolwork.

The oil supplement has been researched and developed by Dr Geoff Hayhurst, one of Ireland's leading osteopaths.

He said: “I am delighted to hear about the improvement which Olivia has experienced. We have known for some time taking the right blend of Omegas can bring health benefits to all ages, but they are of particular importance in the development of children.

“The brain is the first major organ in the body to become fully developed, so the sooner children get the good Omega fats in their diet the better. Paradox provides this stable blend of useable Omegas.

“After Olivia's success we are planning our own clinical trials as research has shown that children low in Omega-3s are significantly more likely to be hyperactive, have learning difficulties and to display behavioural problems.”

Hollywood film Lorenzo’s Oil, starring Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte, tells the true story of Augusto and Michaela Odone who sought their own cure for their young son Lorenzo's rare disease. They devised a cure made of acids from olive and rapeseed oils.

Lorenzo, who doctors did not believe would live past the age of six, died earlier this year aged 30 from aspiration pneumonia, which was caused by food getting stuck in his lungs.