Does My Child Need A Prescription For Cbd Oil And Does Insurance Cover Cbd Oil
No, your child does not need a prescription for CBD oil. Your doctor can help you identify the best product for your childs needs. If you live in an area where medical marijuana is not yet legal, health food stores will likely be the best place to find CBD oil. There are many different types of CBD oil strains for autism, so be sure to research the companys ethics and reviews to find the most effective one for your child.
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder , more often simply referred to as autism, includes a broad range of conditions that are characterized primarily by challenges in basic social skills, repetitive behaviors as well as speech and nonverbal communication.
Autism does not consist of one type, but instead has many subs-types and lie on a spectrum that is most influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Because of this, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. How different autism sufferers learn, think and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged with some people requiring a significant amount of support in their daily lives, while others may live entirely independently, or requiring little support.
There are several factors that influence the development of autism. For instance, ASD is often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues such as gastrointestinal disorders, seizures or sleep disorders, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and attention issues. These concomitant symptoms and diseases can aggravate the symptoms of autism or interfere with treatment.
Signs and symptoms of ASD usually appear around the age of two or three, however some associated developmental delays can present as early as 18 months of age. Research shows that the earlier the intervention and treatment of ASD, the more positive outcomes can be expected later in life for those suffering from it.
Ready To Take The Next Step
If you or someone you love has autism, have hope. Medical marijuana may provide the opportunity to overcome autisms most challenging symptoms.
If youd like to learn more about medical marijuana, please download our FREE e-book. CannaMD also has a team of certified medical marijuana doctors who are prepared to answer any questions you might have! You can reach us at 420-9170 to find out how we can help you on your journey with autism.
You can also find out if you qualify for medical marijuana with our quick online application!
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Using Cbd To Treat Autism
Based on anecdotal evidence, parents are often concerned about aggressive behavior, physical violence, and fits of rage among their autistic children. Sedation is crucial in such scenarios.
CBD oil serves as an option for parents who seek alternatives to prescription medicines to address their autistic childrens strong emotions.
More research is required on issues such as cognitive excitation and inhibition to provide scientists with a clearer understanding of how CBD interacts with the brain functionality of a child with autism.
Potential Mechanisms Of Action
The cannabis plant includes more than 100 cannabinoids , which vary in their relative concentrations across strains. While cannabis has been used for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years, the individual and entourage effects of different cannabinoids on the human body are poorly understood. Most research to date has focused on the effects of two cannabinoids: 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol . THC is a partial agonist of the cannabinoid receptor in the brain and induces the psychoactive effects of cannabis . CBD is an allosteric modulator of the CB1 receptor and has an analgesic effect that counteracts and complements the effects of THC .
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Whats Next For Cbd Research
In 2015, Harvard University and Boston Childrens Hospital published a baseline review of cannabis and autism studies to date, showing that the research did show promise, but nothing definitive could be said about cannabis ability to improve pediatric patients. The Harvard review stated that most research was animal-based and did not yet show translational impacts to human subjects. In fact, the review concluded with the cautionary statement that cannabis treatments should be used as a last resort after all conventional therapies have failed. Indeed, a widespread reluctance exists within the pediatric community to study the effects of cannabis in children, due to the potential of harmful side effects.
Since 2015, only a few small studies have been conducted, with promising results. One of the biggest impacts to spur on future research has been the U.S. Food and Administration approval of Epidiolex, a CBD oil-based elixir manufactured by British drug developer GW Pharmaceuticals as a treatment for two rare types of childhood epilepsy. Scientists took notice at the amazing body of evidence that GW Pharmaceuticals presented regarding the effects of the drug.
Now, New York University neurologist Dr. Orrin Devinsky, the same scientist who did research on Epidiolex, is now conducting two studies on CBD effects on children aged 5 to 18 with moderate to severe autism. The only other doctor who is currently doing studies like this is Aran.
Incorporating Cannabidiol Into Treatment Plans
NYU Langone Health has been at the forefront of investigating the use of this cannabinoid for other disorders. Research by Orrin Devinsky, MD, director of NYU Langones Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and professor of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, led to Food and Drug Administration approval of the CBD extract Epidiolex® for treatment of seizures associated with Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes, two rare and severe forms of epilepsy the Drug Enforcement Administration subsequently reclassified Epidiolex® from Schedule I to Schedule V, making it accessible without the onerous restrictions placed on other cannabis-related substances. NYU Langone researchers are also testing CBD for treatment of alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In another small preliminary study, patients with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition in which autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occurs, also showed beneficial responses. And in a mouse model study of Dravet syndrome, animals showed improvement in social interactions and anxiety when given low doses of CBDthough those benefits disappeared at levels high enough to prevent seizures.
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Is Cbd Safe In Kids
Unfortunately, we dont have a lot of long-term studies to show us the safety of using CBD in kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics published a systematic review in 2017, looking at all of the research up to that point that had been done on the use of medical cannabinoids in children.
While they concluded that additional research is needed, of all of the studies they reviewed, the greatest side effects came from THC. The most common side effects for CBD were sleepiness, diarrhea, and decreased appetite.
There are some questions about potential drug interactions, especially with anti-seizure medications and psychiatric medications.
The important thing to remember before starting CBD or any other new supplement with your child is to speak with your childs trusted medical provider. Doctors are not trained on CBD in medical school, so they may not be fully aware of the latest research. Many integrative medicine practitioners and biomedical doctors are educating themselves on the benefits of CBD so that they can help guide patients and their families in making these decisions.
Here are some resources to help you find a medical practitioner to guide you in your journey:
MAPS Directory: These practitioners have taken extra training in treated children with special needs using a functional medicine approach.
IFM Directory: The Institute for Functional Medicine has a directory of practitioners who practice using a holistic body and mind approach.
An Interview With Bonni Goldstein Md
Project CBD: Im Martin Lee with Project CBD, and today well be speaking with Dr. Bonni Goldstein. Dr. Goldstein is a pediatrician and a pioneering cannabis clinician. Shes the director of Canna-Centers, a California-based physician network that focuses on cannabis therapeutics. And Dr. Goldstein is also the author of the highly recommended book Cannabis is Medicine. Welcome Dr. Goldstein.
Dr. Goldstein: Good morning, Martin. Thanks for having me.
Project CBD: My pleasure. I wanted to talk to you today about an article you co-authored which was recently published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. Let me start by reading the title of the paper: Cannabis Responsive Biomarkers: A Pharmacometabolomics-Based Application to Evaluate the Impact of Medical Cannabis Treatment on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Thats an intimidating title, I think, for someone who is not a doctor or a scientist. So maybe you can explain in a broad sense what the findings are and what is metabolomics? What does that mean, and how is it related to cannabis?
Dr. Goldstein: Sure. Just the same way that we can draw bloodwork to measure white blood cell count or how much sodium you have in your bloodstream, we can measure different types of chemicals in the body. And these chemicals reflect the pathways and the changing chemical nature of kind of how cells are working.
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Discontinuation And Side Effects
A 13-year-old male patient with severe autism had generalized seizures after using 5 mg sublingual CBD, and the drug was discontinued because of this side effect. The epileptic seizures persisted despite the discontinuation of the treatment. Interictal sleep EEG showed symmetrical bilateral frontotemporal sharp-slow wave complexes. The patient was regularly treated with valproic acid and remained seizure-free after starting this antiepileptic drug. CBD-enriched cannabis was also discontinued in a nine-year-old male patient with severe autism after two weeks because of a significant increase in stereotypes. No change in laboratory values related to CBD-enriched cannabis was found in any patient.
Restlessness was the only reported side effect in 7 out of 31 patients who continued treatment for at least three months, and the CBD-enriched cannabis dose was reduced in these patients. As the amount was reduced, restlessness decreased.
How Does Cbd Work
In the early 90s, scientists made another amazing discovery that relates to CBD â they found an entire biological system in the body known as the endocannabinoid system. Without this system, cannabis wouldnât have any therapeutic benefits in the body!
This complex system is found throughout the brain and nervous system and plays an important role in many bodily functions. Research is still uncovering all that this system does, but thereâs a lot of evidence to suggest that it helps to bring about homeostasis â or balance â in the body and may even prevent many diseases.
The endocannabinoid system also helps to regulate things like sleep, mood, reproduction, metabolism, and growth thanks to its influence on the endocrine system. Our bodies can even produce our own endogenous cannabinoids when it needs them.
There are three main elements that make up the endocannabinoid system and all three are required for it to function properly.
The first is endocannabinoids, which could be external like cannabis, or internal such as the ones our own body makes. One endocannabinoid produced in the body is called anandamine, and it binds to the same CB1 receptor in the brain that THC does. Rather than producing a âhigh,â anandamine has a calming effect.
Finally, there are metabolic enzymes, which actually destroy endocannabinoids after the body has used them.
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What Is Hemp And How Does It Differ From Cannabis
The word hemp, or industrial hemp, relates to cannabis strains with negligible levels of psychoactive THC component, usually less than 0.3 percent. Industrial hemp is legal in most countries. Hemp is grown on a large industrial scale and used in production of various things, from fabric to building materials.
In countries in which THC is still classified as a controlled substance, hemp plantsor in other words cannabis plants that do not contain a psychoactive componentare used for extracting plant oils and producing oral supplements, topical creams and other hemp-derived wellness and cosmetic products that can be sold without medical prescription.
Can Cbd Oil Help With Aggression Caused By Autism
Since parents have started using CBD oil to help ease aggression in their children caused by autism, the anecdotal evidence has been overwhelmingly positive. Some parents report that their children who used to be unreachable during fits of rage are able to implement calming techniques other parents report decreased instances of physical violence.
In 2010, Lester Grinspoon, MD urged doctors to take this anecdotal evidence seriously and conduct further medical research on the effects of CBD oil on aggression. Many researchers are focused on the question of what causes autism aggression rather on guiding research efforts towards looking for ways to manage the aggression that many children with autism and their families have to navigate daily.
CBD oil for anger and aggression is a welcomed option for many families who have previously tried medications traditionally used to help children with autism deal with strong emotions. As more research is completed on medical marijuana, CBD oil, and autism, scientists will have a better idea of how CBD interacts with the brain of a child with autism and why it is so effective.
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The Essential Guide To Cbd For Autism And Adhd
When all of the hoopla with CBD oil began, I remember vowing to myself, âI will NOT give my child marijuana.â Fast forward eighteen long months and a whole lot of trial and error with improving our sonâs behavior, and I found myself holding our first tiny bottle of full-spectrum hemp oil.
It took a lot of self-education on my part but Iâve gone from being a complete skeptic to a huge proponent of using CBD oil for Autism and other behavioral disorders in kids.
Iâve since learned that CBD and marijuana arenât necessarily the same thing, although they do belong to the same family. Kind of like that uncle you swear is only a distant relative, these two plants have similar DNA but are two different species.
Despite limited research here in North America, parents of kids with Autism and ADHD that have tried cannabidiol claim to have had some pretty amazing success. Nonverbal kids have started speaking full sentences, hyperactive kids are now able to sit still and concentrate, and behaviors like aggression and anxiety have been greatly improved.
Still not convinced? I donât blame you! I wasnât either! But the âproof is in the puddingâ as they say! Keep reading to find out more about what CBD is, the nitty gritty on legality, and some in-depth info on different terpenes to look for.
Cbd Oil Dosage For Autism
When it comes to determining dosage autism spectrum disorder, it is best to speak with your pediatrician. Most dosing recommendations that are included with CBD oil products are created with adults in mind.
In addition, you might considerspeaking with a naturopathic doctor who may be able to provide you with more personalized information on which CBD oil products and dosages are best for you or your child.
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What Are Endocannabinoids Why Are They Important For Autism
Endocannabinoids are endogenous signalling molecules that are produced by many kinds of animals, including humans. Two of the most well-known and studied endocannabinoids are anandamide and 2-arachidonyl glycerol .
Endocannabinoids are part of the endocannabinoid signalling system . They bind to cannabinoid receptors that are present on the outer membranes of many types of cells in various types of tissue, including the brain/nervous system, gut lining, various kinds of immune cells, blood vessels, skin, bone, sensory receptors and many others.
In this way endocannabinoids help regulate the functioning of the brain, the gut, the immuneand other systems, as well as processing of sensory information, sensation of pain, stressresponse and recovery, memory and cognitivefunction,moodand behaviours, including social behaviours, anxiety, appetite and metabolicfunction, motorfunction and many others.
Endocannabinoids, as well as plant cannabinoids, also interact and influence the functioning of many other receptors and signalling molecules that are important in autism, such as GABA/glutamate, oxytocin serotonin and dopamine.
The levels of endocannabinoids have been found to be very low in autism. Dysfunction of ECS has been proposed as a possible common and unifying pathology in various subtypes of autism. In other words, regardless of what the original causative factor was for the emergence of autism symptoms in each individual, some degree of ECS dysfunction may be present.
Medical Marijuana For Autism
Cannabis is prescribed as a treatment for autism in 14 states. Is it the wonder drug patients and families have been waiting for?
CLINICAL REFLECTIONS
Although the research on cannabis and autism spectrum disorders is in its infancy, there has been much controversy and confusion. Over the years, more patients and their families are seeking guidance from doctors on using cannabis to alleviate symptoms. From preventing seizures to calming aggression, a slow trickle of research is suggesting that cannabidiol , a component of cannabis, may be the wonder drug families have been searching for. But does it hold up to this standard? Should we be recommending it to patients? How do we weigh the benefits and the risks?
Unfortunately, many clinicians lack adequate training on the subject, making them unprepared to have a meaningful discussion with patients and families. Efforts to advance research have been limited for technical and logistical reasons, often leaving doctors with just as many questions as patients.
Cannabis: An Overview
Used recreationally, it produces a high or mind-altering effect when smoked or consumed. It is also used therapeutically. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines medical cannabis as using the whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions.1
THC and CBD are 2 cannabinoids found in cannabis that have particular clinical importance.3
The Challenges of Autism
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