Cannabidiol, or CBD, is extracted from marijuana or hemp. While it’s available in different forms commercially (from chewable gummies to liquid), the substance has become immensely popular recently for treating several conditions, including several that are frequently spotted in children.
But CBD for kids gets always interconnected with safety – and today, that’s exactly what we are going to discover! For starters, CBD does not get anyone high, which is also why you can get hold of the same without any prescription. But if you are using any kind of CBD medication, then it’s best that you consult your doctor and get your dosage prescribed.
For now, stay tuned and read about using CBD specifically for children!
CBD For Kids: What Is It Used For?
Only recently, we spoke about CBD gummies for kids at length. So, you must not be surprised to find out there’s more to using CBD for kids than just gummies. Have you heard about Epidiolex? It’s often prescribed for treating two rare but severe types of Epilepsy in kids, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Moreover, parents can also use CBD manufactured commercially for treating conditions like hyperactivity and anxiety in children. It can also be considered within the whole autism spectrum since CBD can reduce specific Autism symptoms.
However, it must be noted in this context that CBD has not yet been tested extensively for either effectiveness or safety. Yes, the research that has already been done is extremely promising, but the point is consulting your doctor is a must, especially when you are considering using CBD for kids.
So without wasting any time, let’s find out what CBD is used for exactly in children!
1. Epilepsy
If you are looking for the best CBD for kids, then you must consult a professional immediately. But this is about kids with Epilepsy. The medication that has been made with CBD and approved by the FDA treats seizures that are difficult to control in kids with Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
This medication is called Epidiolex, and it’s different from your usual CBD oil for kids. It’s basically this oral solution that is made with purified CBD derived from the legendary Cannabis sativa. Of course, this medication is not just carefully manufactured but also administered properly.
Now, the thing about Epidiolex is that it comes with certain risks and side effects – it depends on what you and medical professionals decide after weighing down the benefits with the associated risks.
Side Effects
Before you can rush to the official website of We Are Hemp and invest your money, consult your doctor. For now, scroll down and check out the side effects of using Epidiolex!
- Feeling sleepy or lethargic.
- Liver enzymes can get elevated.
- Loss of appetite.
- Diarrhea and rash.
- Feeling physically weak.
- Poor quality of sleep and insomnia.
- Infections.
Risks
Are you already looking for the best CBD oil for kids? Then stop! First, check out all the risks associated with using Epidiolex – also, you have to consult with medical professionals before you can do something finally!
- Suicidal actions and thoughts.
- Depression.
- Agitation.
- Panic attacks.
- Aggressive behavior.
- Live injury.
2. Autism
Another area where the whole CBD for kids-conversation becomes real is the Autism spectrum. According to Healthline, several studies have been conducted to analyze using CBD oil or medical cannabis for treating symptoms of Autism in children. Moreover, an improvement was observed in a majority of participants in different studies – after using CBD oil for an entire month, several Autism symptoms like rage attacks, seizures, and restlessness saw improvement. For most of the participants in the study, the symptoms actually kept reducing and improving over a period of six months.
Of course, certain side effects were reported. These side effects are as follows,
- Loss of appetite,
- Reflux, and
- Feeling sleepy.
It should also be noted in this context that during this period, participants continued to consume their other prescribed medications, inclusive of sedatives and antipsychotics. Since there was no legit control group kept in place, researchers mentioned that all results from these studies are subject to interpretation with caution.
Farther, this actually prevented researchers from finding out the casualty between the reduction in Autism symptoms and using CBD for kids! Of course, several other studies are currently ongoing in different places globally – this might help researchers to understand whether CBD is safe and what is an effective dosage for kids with Autism.
3. Anxiety
While you can get CBD for kids with anxiety without a prescription, it’s best to consult a doctor for safety. But still, if you are already looking up the best CBD for anxiety, do some research and follow it up with medical advice.
Of course, there have been studies conducted on both humans and animals. These studies do indicate that CBD can reduce anxiety symptoms. Of course, this claim has not yet been tested properly in kids.
According to Healthline, preclinical evidence has been discovered that indicates how CBD oil might be able to treat symptoms of anxiety such as social anxiety, OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder, and PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder.
In fact, a study was conducted on a patient who was just ten years old and suffering from PTSD. It was discovered that CBD oil actually improved her anxiety and even ended up reducing her insomnia.
4. ADHD
Only a little or almost no research has been conducted in terms of using CBD for ADHD, especially in terms of reducing risks or even treating side effects. Anecdotally, it was reported that after using CBD oil, it was observed that children experienced a reduction in their ADHD symptoms.
Of course, there are patients who have also reported no impact of CBD on their kids with ADHD.
At the moment, there’s not much evidence to find out whether CBD for kids with ADHD has a possible future.
What Are The Risks Of Using CBD For Kids?
While marijuana has been there for quite a lot of years, CBD is certainly new. It has yet to be extensively tested for use in children; hence, accurate side effects have yet to be drawn.
CBD may produce side effects like sleep issues and restlessness that are pretty similar to the problems that you might be trying to heal.
CBD also has the tendency to interact with other medications that your child might be taking. A lot like grapefruit, CBD also interacts with many of the enzymes that are necessary to metabolize many drugs in the system. So, regardless of the benefits, it is better not to give CBD to your child if they are already under the influence of any medicine that comes with a grapefruit warning.
Also, CBD oil is not regulated. Hence, parents shall never get 100 percent confidence about what they are actually buying and giving to their kids.
There have been multiple documents showing how CBD products were found with labeling inaccuracies. While some products had less than stated CBD, the others had more.
So, if you at all want to give CBD to your child, make sure to have a discussion with your doctor first.
Is It Legal?
The laws that surround the purchase of CBD and its use can be a bit confusing. CBD oil that comes from organic hemp is absolutely legal to purchase. With that being said, CBD oil is only allowed when the THC percentage in it is less than 0.3 percent. Even then, certain states have restricted the possession of hemp-based CBD.
CBD that comes from the marijuana plant, at present, is illegal federally.
Because products that contain CBD oil may also contain certain amounts of THC, and introducing CBD to children is certainly illegal, how legal it is to give CBD to children still remains a gray area.
The laws regarding the use of marijuana and CBD oil are changing constantly. Hence they may vary from one state to the other. However, if your doctor has prescribed Epidiolex to your kid, then it is totally legal for them to use it, regardless of where you live.
“The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC legal at the federal level. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them illegal at the federal level. Some states have legalized CBD, so be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.”
Choosing CBD Products For Your Child
There are a number of companies that manufacture CBD oil around the world. And there is no simple way for the customers to figure out what is in the products. But, there are a couple of things that you may keep in mind every time you go to buy a CBD product for your child.
- Read thoroughly through the label.
- Find out the whereabouts of the product’s manufacturing.
- Search if the CBD oil has gone through third-party testing and if the results are available for verification.
What Are The Risks Of Using CBD For Kids?
While marijuana has been there for quite a lot of years, CBD is certainly new. It has yet to be extensively tested for use in children; hence, accurate side effects have yet to be drawn.
CBD may produce side effects like sleep issues and restlessness that are pretty similar to the problems that you might be trying to heal.
CBD also has the tendency to interact with other medications that your child might be taking. A lot like grapefruit, CBD also interacts with many of the enzymes that are necessary to metabolize many drugs in the system. So, regardless of the benefits, it is better not to give CBD to your child if they are already under the influence of any medicine that comes with a grapefruit warning.
Also, CBD oil is not regulated. Hence, parents shall never get 100 percent confidence about what they are actually buying and giving to their kids.
There have been multiple documents showing how CBD products were found with labeling inaccuracies. While some products had less than stated CBD, the others had more.
So, if you at all want to give CBD to your child, make sure to have a discussion with your doctor first.
Is It Legal?
The laws that surround the purchase of CBD and its use can be a bit confusing. CBD oil that comes from organic hemp is absolutely legal to purchase. With that being said, CBD oil is only allowed when the THC percentage in it is less than 0.3 percent. Even then, certain states have restricted the possession of hemp-based CBD.
CBD that comes from the marijuana plant, at present, is illegal federally.
Because products that contain CBD oil may also contain certain amounts of THC, and introducing CBD to children is certainly illegal, how legal it is to give CBD to children still remains a gray area.
The laws regarding the use of marijuana and CBD oil are changing constantly. Hence they may vary from one state to the other. However, if your doctor has prescribed Epidiolex to your kid, then it is totally legal for them to use it, regardless of where you live.
“The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC legal at the federal level. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them illegal at the federal level. Some states have legalized CBD, so be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.”
Choosing CBD Products For Your Child
There are a number of companies that manufacture CBD oil around the world. And there is no simple way for the customers to figure out what is in the products. But, there are a couple of things that you may keep in mind every time you go to buy a CBD product for your child.
- Read thoroughly through the label.
- Find out the whereabouts of the product’s manufacturing.
- Search if the CBD oil has gone through third-party testing and if the results are available for verification.
And It’s A Wrap!
So, now you know that you can consider using CBD gummies for kids with ADHD or anxiety, provided your doctor is in agreement with you. Yes, you experiment with other forms of CBD as well, provided you have a yes from medical professionals.
So, tell us, what are your thoughts on using CBD for kids? While sharing your thoughts, don’t forget to share your experiences about using CBD in the comments below.
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