Can CBD Help a Child with Epilepsy?
The following article is for informational purposes only. Before administering CBD for epilepsy or any supplement to your child please consult with your holistic healthcare practitioner.
Parents of children with epilepsy undoubtedly have an extremely stressful experience. The occurrence of seizures – intense sudden rushes of electrical activity to the brain – can leave a caregiver helpless because there is truly nothing they can do to stop them when they occur.
Epilepsy is a nervous system disorder that is related to underlying brain dysfunction. The seizures experienced by those who have it can alter their consciousness, emotions and movements.
Twitching, jerking, losing the ability to swallow, difficulty speaking convulsions, out of body sensations, visions of flashing lights, visual hallucinations and a loss of consciousness form the bulk of experiences epilepsy sufferers experience during a seizure. For parents, watching their children experience one can be a terrifying experience.
How a Mother’s Quest Led to CBD
Paige and Matt Figi had twin girls. One was relatively healthy while the other, Charlotte, began having seizures at just 3 months old.
Diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, Charlotte was confined to a wheelchair by the age of five and suffering up to 300 seizures per week. In a quest to help her daughter, Paige researched treatments using CBD, finally deciding to give Charlotte oil from a strain called “Hippie’s Disappointment”. The name for this strain was given due to its low amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the chemical causing feelings of euphoria associated with recreational marijuana.
The results were amazing. Charlotte’s seizures decreased from hundreds per week to 2-3 per month.
Her experience became public and spread fast, resulting in the renaming of the strain to “Charlotte’s Web”. Besides giving hope to millions of epilepsy sufferers worldwide, this incredible story drove marijuana legislation forward, making CBD accessible throughout the United States, Europe, and beyond.
Clinical research supports CBD for Epilepsy
Anecdotal evidence supporting the use of epilepsy for seizures is everywhere. One example is Ash, a founder of Green Cuisine, who started the company after seeing the positive results of his custom CBD oil on a friend suffering from epilepsy. Along with anecdotal evidence from millions of people, science is also confirming the effectiveness of CBD on epilepsy through extensive studies.
Clinical research conducted in 2016 showed positive results among 74 participants with treatment-resistant epilepsy. Through the use of CBD-enriched hemp oil for an average of 6 months, 89% experienced a reduction in seizures. Other benefits experienced by the group included increased alertness, sharper motor skills, improved communication skills and better sleep quality.
How to Administer CBD to Your Child
Before administering CBD or any supplement to your child please consult with your holistic healthcare practitioner. Every type of supplement, “natural” or otherwise, carries risks. We advise all new customers to have discussions with several healthcare professionals concerning their child’s specific situation prior to commencing any treatment.
While there are many formats available for administering CBD, one method that works well for children is to use full-spectrum CBD oil derived from plants low in THC.
Unlike isolated CBD, full spectrum CBD oil contains all of the natural compounds found in the cannabis plant, including all the cannabinoids, terpenes and essential oils. This type of CBD oil is prized due to the different therapeutic qualities of the plant that work together to provide a synergistic effect.
