CHILDREN AND CBD

CHILDREN AND CBD

With changes in the law leading to increases in the acceptance of cannabis for medicinal purposes, many parents are now asking themselves whether CBD oil can help their children manage chronic, incurable conditions.

It’s important to note from the outset the CBD oil for kids is safe. Unlike regular cannabis, CBD oil contains no psychoactive component that could lead to a “high.” Think of it as a kind of dietary supplement containing the beneficial phytonutrients found in hemp, but none of the associated risks.

When viewed in this light, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that CBD oil for kids is beneficial for children. Scientists have identified hundreds of potentially therapeutic compounds contained in the foods that we eat every day that help to support overall health, reduce pain, and support the immune system. CBD oil is one such example of nature providing a remedy for many common ills.

The problem for many parents, however, is that it’s not always obvious how to use CBD oil, when and where to administer it, and whether there are any scientifically proven benefits of efficacy for kids. The purpose of this article is to help parents decide whether CBD oil is right for their children, and investigate how it is proven to help.

WHY GIVE CBD TO CHILDREN

CBD oil is a derivative of the hemp plant. Like many other oils, it is derived from the seed – the part of the plant with the highest naturally occurring concentration of cannabinoids, the class of plant-chemicals that give cannabis its unique effects. (There are other plants, such as pepper which contain cannabinoids, but in much lower quantities). CBD oil, however, does not contain the psychoactive THC compound also found in hemp plants – this is removed during the oil-making process. The oil is therefore safe for children to use, just like many other therapeutic oils on the market.

Why CBD oil works for children is still a matter of scientific investigation. However, the therapeutic properties are believed to be related to the way that it interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system. The body produces a set of chemicals naturally which look a lot like the cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. These chemicals help to regulate everything from appetite, mood, sleep, and the immune system in children. Sometimes, however, the body’s endocannabinoid system can become dysregulated as a result of a chronic condition. CBD oil can supplement the body’s own cannabinoids with exogenous alternatives, leading to an improvement in symptoms and, hopefully, a better quality of life for the child taking it.

THE BENEFITS OF CBD OIL FOR CHILDREN

Many parents are skeptical about the benefits of a substance for their children that is so closely related to the cannabis plant. But CBD oil is already showing benefits in children for a range of conditions.

Parents use CBD oil for the following conditions:

• Reducing ADHD symptoms. Children with ADHD can be challenging to manage. CBD oil for ADHD can help.
• Reducing depression. Many children can experience a lack of energy and lethargy and a general reduction in their zest for life when their endocannabinoid system becomes dysfunctional. CBD for kids can help to alleviate symptoms.
• Alleviating anxiety.Even though there’s no immediate danger, some children can be wracked by anxiety, fearing that the worst will happen to them.
• Inhibiting tumors. Like many other plant-derived substances, CBD oil shows promising inhibitory effects on tumors.
• Combating inflammation. Today’s modern lifestyles are leading to a catalog of chronic inflammatory conditions among children, such as Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, and psoriasis. CBD oil contains compounds which some scientists believe may help reduce the severity of inflammatory conditions.
• Reducing psychosis. Although CBD oil does not produce a high, it can interact positively with the mind, helping to restore chemical balance, reducing the severity and likelihood of psychotic episodes.
• Reducing pain. Many children suffer from chronic pain. CBD oil is believed to be effective at managing pain and improving quality of life.

The main concern that parents have is whether CBD oil will have any adverse effects on their child. Although the benefits are widely discussed, what about the risks? CBD is just one compound among over 400 found in the hemp plant (although there may still be more that scientists do not yet know about). Just like all other plant species, cannabis is a collection of different chemical, each of which interacts with the body in specific ways. THC is another chemical found in cannabis which causes the psychotropic effects of the drug, including hallucinations and delusions when administered in high doses. CBD oil does not contain THC, but rather is a source of many of the beneficial compounds found in the plant. Most CBD oils on the market come from hemp, a subspecies in the cannabis family that is naturally low in THC, meaning that even if you administer CBD oil in high doses to your children, there’s practically no risk whatever of them achieving a high. Reputable CBD oil suppliers keep the THC content of their products close to nil.

HOW TO GIVE CBD OIL TO CHILDREN & DOSAGE

The best way to administer CBD oil to children is through the mouth. You can either administer with a spoon or use a tincture. Children can either hold the oil under the tongue while it is absorbed through the mucous membrane in the mouth, or swallow it, and allow it to enter the bloodstream via the digestive tract. Some children do not like the taste of the oil and so may be better off simply swallowing.

When it comes to dosage, it’s worth noting that every person is different, based on the state of their endocannabinoid system, their genetics, their lifestyle, and the conditions that they are trying to treat. When administering CBD oil for kids, you should increase the doses gradually over the course of three to four weeks, making sure that there are no adverse reactions. There’s no need to administer the daily dose all in one go – it’s probably better to give drops throughout the day at set intervals to give the body time to adjust.

So how much should you use? It depends on the condition that you’re trying to treat. According to experts, it’s not possible to overdose on CBD. Many parents with children over ten years old use 25mg of CBD oil twice per day. Young children, under five years, tend to receive dosages around 5 mg twice per day to begin.

Dosages for children with ADHD are typically lower than those for kids with severe chronic pain or epilepsy are higher. The Mayo Clinic, for instance, recommends up to 300 mg CBD oil per day to help manage epilepsy symptoms.

RESEARCH INTO CBD EFFECTIVENESS ON CHILDREN

When giving their children any substance, parents want to know that it’s both safe and effective. Although the science of CBD oil is young, there are already many studies which point to its benefits.

Managing Pain

Scientists have been interested in the ability of the cannabis class of plants, including, to help manage pain. They’ve discovered that hemp can reduce pain in children associated with a range of conditions, including joint pain, muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis patients, and pain caused by cancer.

Reducing Anxiety And Depression

Because the science of CBD oil is relatively recent, there have been no trials to date on CBD and clinical depression/anxiety in humans. However, researchers have investigated whether CBD oil is useful in the treatment of these conditions in animals. They’ve found that when animals are given CBD, it has a similar effect to anti-depressants, helping to lift mood.

CBD oil may also reduce the anxiety produced when children have to perform in front of a group of people. It’s not unusual for children to get stage fright, but studies show that CBD can reduce feelings of fear among people before they have to perform in front of a crowd.

Anti-Tumor Effects

Can CBD oil really help to inhibit tumors? This claim is based on research from two major national cancer organizations, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. Both suggest that CBD oil, like many other plant-derived compounds, could have therapeutic effects, and may slow the progression of cancer, giving patients more time to deal with the underlying disease.

Reduction Of Seizures

Epilepsy is a condition that many parents find difficult to manage. Two particular types of epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, both appear to be modulated by CBD oil. The effect seems to be so strong that the FDA now approves a cannabis-derived from for these two conditions.

hemp, our cbd oil products are of the best quality and purity. Our 20mg tinctures are a great way to test if cbd for your child, while the 300mg bottle of cbd oil is ideal for people who have already been won over by the power of CBD for their kids.