You've probably heard a lot about how CBD helps children stop or reduce seizures, but what other ways can CBD help children? There are several potential benefits of CBD for children, including calming the mind, potentially aiding with some autism symptoms and potentially aiding reducing pain associated with some childhood diseases. These are just the tip of the iceberg. This guide will help you understand that CBD is okay for children and won't harm them - in fact, it can help them with multiple symptoms just as it does for adults.
Seizure Reduction
Cannabidiol is a neuroprotectant, meaning that it helps protect nerves throughout the body from damage and may prevent further deterioration of some nerve disorders. It also binds to CB1 receptors in the brain to help it send proper signals. In seizure disorders, it can be from misfiring in the brain, agitation of brain activity and a multitude of other reasons. Overactive neurons and general over-excitement in the brain may trigger a seizure with or without warning.
CBD has proven to stop seizures in children with epilepsy disorders as well as those with unexplained seizures. Some children with intractable forms of epilepsy such as Dravet syndrome often have little to no success in stopping seizures with traditional medicines. Some children experience hundreds of seizures a day, causing more damage to their brains.
One recent study resulted in a reduction or complete stoppage of seizures for 84-percent of its participants.
Nausea Relief
Chronic nausea can be the result of several medical conditions but it can also be caused by stress. Stress for children can come from several different things - being bullied at school, a difficult family situation, difficulty with learning - to name a few. The thing with pharmaceutical options is that they are chemical-based and require digestion to start working.
When nausea is at its worst, waiting for a pill to kick in isn't likely a good option and it leaves the child more likely to expel the medication via vomiting before it gets a chance to work. With CBD, it can be taken sublingually in tincture form. Tinctures are held under the tongue for one full minute and then swallowed. This allows for sublingual absorption to begin immediately and the CBD can get into the body faster. For some, it can start working within a few minutes.
Insomnia
Insomnia can occur in children with health conditions and healthy children. When your child can't fall asleep, you're not likely to get much of it yourself. Children won't always talk about why they can't sleep either - sometimes they're afraid to talk about something that is going on with them because they think they'll get in trouble or get hurt. Adolescent insomnia isn't always the side effect of other medications or a symptom of a health condition.
CBD is a good option for helping to relax the mind and body so that sleep can be accomplished. Some CBD products are specifically designed to promote a good night's sleep, such as our Vitalized Hemp Sleep Tincture. Full spectrum CBD products that also include plant-derived terpenes may be more effective as there are multiple elements in the formula that are put together to achieve one specific result - getting to sleep, reaching deep sleep stages and sleeping in a relaxed state.
Anxiety
Anxiety is something that isn't always explainable in children but it does happen. For some, it can be the result of bullying, added pressure to do well in school or pressure to be perfect. There are literally hundreds of reasons that a child can feel anxious, and sometimes a little anxiety is okay but when it becomes a chronic or repetitive issue, medication is often suggested.
Pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medications can have serious side effects and addiction is possible with some pharmaceuticals for anxiety. CBD isn't a pharmaceutical, so none of the common side effects are there.
CBD has anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties. This means it may help reduce anxiety and reduce symptoms of depression. Anxiety can lead to depression and vice versa.
Adolescent Cancer
Cancer treatment can affect the whole body. It can cause damage to multiple organs and can temporarily reduce quality of life. Chemotherapy can make you feel sicker than before the diagnosis. CBD not only has anti-cancer properties but it's also anti-tumor.
CBD may help cancer cells from multiplying, mutating and spreading to other parts of the body. It may help inhibit cancer cell growth, slow cancer cell growth and may reduce or eliminate tumors.
Pain can be significant for cancer patients and while there are strong pharmaceuticals available to combat pain, the side effects and potential dangers of those drugs may not be an appropriate solution. CBD does have analgesic properties, meaning that it can help reduce pain and may help reduce inflammation that may be causing the pain.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can also compromise the immune system. CBD may be able to help with that due to its immunosuppressant properties, allowing it to help regulate an immune system that can't repair itself. By reducing some of the functions in the immune system, CBD may be able to help the immune system stop attacking itself and may help strengthen it so that bad bacteria are flushed out and resistance to germs may strengthen.
Nausea, pain, vomiting, weight loss and loss of appetite are common in cancer patients. CBD may help an adolescent cancer patient want to eat and be able to keep food down. It may help reduce their pain and may help reduce some of the negative side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Closing Thoughts
While CBD is beneficial to the body, for some more severe ailments it may not be enough. Some children may require full medical cannabis to achieve relief. When seeking out CBD products for your children, always purchase full spectrum CBD products as this is whole plant medicine, it's not an isolate. Full spectrum CBD products tend to work more efficiently in the body to help promote proper regulation of major systems in the body. Dosing CBD can be difficult, so start small and see how that works for your child. CBD does not produce any psychoactive effects and depending on your child's health condition, a higher dose may be required for positive changes to occur.
