Parents are constantly on the hunt for new, viable and, most important, safe treatments to help protect the health and well-being of their children. Old treatments become null and void as new discoveries unearth safer, more natural methods of protecting a child’s health. Parents are keen to keep up to date with the best possible remedies for their children.
One possible means of treatment is through cannabinoid (CBD) oil, which has become intimately affiliated with the health and wellness industry as a whole. CBD is a natural remedy that can improve the lives of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, and more. In fact, the FDA has approved a CBD-derived drug called Epidiolex as an oral treatment for two very rare forms of epilepsy.
The amount of untapped potential from CBD to improve people’s lives naturally raises questions for parents about the possibilities in using CBD oil for kids. Let’s dive into some of those questions and try to provide some answers.
Is CBD Oil Safe for Kids?
This is the million-dollar question. At this point in time, there is no definitive yes as an answer to that umbrella question. However, early trials suggest there are no glaring side effects that would definitively make CBD unsafe for children.
To help parents gain a better understanding of CBD, let’s first define the natural remedy itself. CBD is derived from cannabis plants but, unlike traditional marijuana, it is not known to cause the trademark high in people who consume the substance. Instead, CBD is associated with health and wellness and is known to support the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system flows through the human body. It allows endocannabinoids to freely flow throughout the body to areas suffering from physical pain or mental deficiency. Endocannabinoids help lessen aches and tightness affiliated with physical pain in the body, and can also improve the mental wellbeing of the brain by suppressing negative thoughts or feelings towards past trauma.
Due to the powerful potential in improving one’s standard of personal health, CBD is available in many different products to help ingest the natural remedy into the human system. The most common form of CBD is an oil, typically housed within capsules or tablets that allow for safe oral ingestion. Other common CBD products include skin creams, vapors, and even the occasional edible.
What Is a Safe CBD Dosage for Kids?
Should parents decide to give their children trace amounts of CBD, the question then becomes, how much is a safe amount?
The answer to that question is also open to interpretation. According to clinical studies, humans can healthily ingest anywhere from 20mg to 1500mg of CBD oil per day. The amount of CBD per dosage also varies. For example, capsules can contain as little as 5mg and some contain as much as 100mg. Edibles typically contain higher traces of CBD than capsules or tablets.
A safe CBD dosage for kids will depend on factors like their age, gender, and body mass. Larger children, naturally, can process greater doses of CBD than smaller children. Your best option is to consult with your child’s pediatrician and ask for their recommended advice.
Doctors with adult patients often recommend starting doses between 20 to 40mg per day. Children may benefit from similar-sized doses or may require as low as 5mg per day to begin their own therapy. Again, consult with your children’s doctor for the medical expertise and follow that judgment when first conducting CBD-induced therapy for your child.
CBD Oil for Kids With Anxiety
Studies have tested CBD as a natural remedy to treat people who struggle with social anxiety. In one particular study, occurring amongst a dozen patients in Japan, CBD doses of 600mg were given to half of the patients who were especially anxious about public speaking. The other half of the participants were given a placebo. There was a significant decrease in anxiousness post-treatment among participants who received CBD, and the decrease was notably higher over those who were treated with the placebo.
Most of the studies, to date, have tested CBD’s effectiveness against anxiety in adults. But one notable trial involved a 10-year-old patient who suffered from social anxiety. The young girl’s struggle with anxiety was a direct result of past trauma, which also affected her ability to sleep. When she was given CBD for treatment, doctors reported a maintained decrease in her anxiety and improvements to the quality of sleep she received.
CBD Oil for Kids With Autism
Similarly to anxiety, autism is a common disorder that affects children of all backgrounds. Autism is a neurological disorder within the brain that impacts a child’s ability to function in normal social situations.
The first real medical breakthrough of using CBD oil for kids with autism was documented in the spring of 2018. The study involved 60 children with symptoms that placed them on the autism spectrum disorder.
At the end of the trial, doctors reported positive results within many children in terms of reduced behavioural outbreaks, improved communication problems, diminished disruptive behaviours, and even declining levels of stress. While additional trials are necessary to further validate the findings, the preliminary results point to potential new breakthroughs to help children combat autistic symptoms.
Best CBD Oil for Kids
As further trials are pending to definitively verify CBD as a healthy remedy for children, there’s no definitive best CBD oil for kids…at this point in time.
However, CBD oil products have provided pain relief and medicinal breakthroughs for many adults in need of natural therapy. Given enough substantial clinical data from future trials, those same CBD oils could be equally beneficial to children. It’s all a matter of time.