CBD is commercially available in many forms and is popular as a treatment for many health problems, including those seen in children. Parents sometimes use commercially produced CBD to treat certain conditions in children, particularly anxiety or hyperactivity. Some even use CBD for children who suffer from autism to alleviate its symptoms. CBD has not yet been extensively tested for its safety and effectiveness. While there is promising research regarding seizure control, there is not much information about it yet. Some parents have no problem giving CBD products to their children, but others are concerned about it;
What is CBD oil?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical component found in both marijuana (Cannabis sativa) and hemp plants. Although the molecular composition of CBD is the same when extracted from either plant, there are differences between them. One of the main differences between hemp and Cannabis sativa is the amount of resin they contain. Cannabis is a low resin plant and marijuana is a high resin plant. Most of the CBD is found in the resin;
The resin also contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical compound that gives marijuana its intoxicating properties. There is much more THC in marijuana than in cannabis. CBD extracted from marijuana plants may or may not contain THC. The same is true for hemp CBD, but to a lesser extent;
To avoid giving your children a product that may contain THC, you need to use pure isolated CBD that does not contain THC. There is only one way to be 100% sure that you are giving pure CBD without THC and that is to use Epidiolex. This is the only CBD medication so far that has been officially approved by the FDA. Epidiolex is designed to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy. It is manufactured by the British company GW Pharmaceuticals and the drug is only available on prescription and only in certain countries where its use is approved by the local legislation;
Always consult your doctor;
CBD oil is available in many forms and it is difficult to know how much CBD each product contains. Aside from Epidiolex, it is almost impossible to determine the amount of CBD that is administered to any child. Never give a child products containing CBD unless approved or recommended by your pediatrician;
What is CBD oil used for in children?
A CBD product has been approved by the FDA in the US for the treatment of epilepsy only. It is specifically used to treat difficult-to-control seizures in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two rare forms of epilepsy;
Epidiolex is an oral solution that is made from purified CBD. It has been carefully studied in the use of patients with the aforementioned severe forms of epilepsy. Part of the patients were given the drug and part a placebo, the drug resulted in an effective reduction in seizure frequency.
However, this drug is not without risk, it can have some side effects even for children and in countries where this drug is allowed, its use must be carefully consulted with a doctor;
Possible influence on autism
The effects of medical cannabis or CBD have been tested on paediatric patients with autism, and the results suggest that their condition might improve. Links to the studies can be found in the links below.It is not yet possible to 100% confirm the benefits of CBD for the treatment of autism as there was no control group in the study. However, there are other studies underway around the world that may provide more information;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6336869/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6333745/
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Anxiety, ADHD and more
Some studies have examined the effect of CBD oil on anxiety conditions and also ADHD. Here CBD has quite a lot of potential, but its positive effect is not yet scientifically verified and more studies are needed;
As the benefits of CBD for children are not yet sufficiently scientifically proven, it is not recommended to give it to children. The necessary research is still lacking, but as much of it is ongoing, things may change in the future. It is always advisable to consult a doctor when taking CBD and definitely do not take any risks by giving CBD products to children, as they could have side effects;
