CBD May Mitigate Severe Behavioral Symptoms In Children With Autism
One of the most sensitive areas of cannabis policy, science, and industry is medical cannabis use by children. No responsible cannabis consumer advocates for kids to consume cannabis except for in the most limited, tailored medical circumstances.
It is an issue that needs to be taken very seriously and parents should only proceed after talking to their family doctor(s) to make sure that it is the right move for their situation.
With that being said, there are instances when medical cannabis therapies can help younger patients. According to the results of a recent study in Argentina, cannabidiol may help mitigate severe behavioral symptoms in children diagnosed with autism. Below is more information via a news release from NORML:
Buenos Aires, Argentina: The adjunctive use of CBD is safe and effective in mitigating severe behavioral symptoms in pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to data published in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior.
Argentinian researchers assessed the efficacy of purified CBD in young patients (ages three to 17) with autism. CBD was administered as an add-on medication for six to 12 months.
Consistent with prior studies, investigators reported that CBD treatment improved the quality of life of patients and their families. In nearly half of the patients treated, the use of prescription medications decreased following the initiation of CBD therapy.
The study’s authors concluded, “Our results suggest that treatment with purified CBD is effective and safe and could benefit patients with severe ASD by improving some of the core symptoms, including repetitive behaviors and social interaction, as well as associated comorbidities.”
The findings are consistent with those of placebo-controlled trial data showing improvements in ASD-related symptoms following the use of cannabinoid products. Observational studies have also shown that the use of cannabis can provide benefits to young people and adults with autism.
Full text of the study, “Purified cannabidiol leads to improvement of severe treatment-resistant behavioral symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder,” appears in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. Additional information on cannabinoids and ASD is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
