Medical marijuana in children with autism and Does it work?
We have grown up in an era where marijuana has been tabu and for ruining since it was considered an addiction and was against the law. Persons are now having charges dropped for possession and using marijuana. These are changing times and families like those living with autism are seeing results. Medical marijuana (tetrahydrocannabinol-THC and/or cannabidiol-CBD) are controlled by law through the State; several states are now allowing recreational use of marijuana. We use a local dispensary that has worked well with us in finding a combination of product with THC and CBD to properly address our son’s behaviors and are now trying over the counter CBD with our other two sons on the autism spectrum. The following describes the results we saw within the first few weeks. The chart (two months of data) shows significant improvement in both self injury and aggression, which are two primary concerns we have had since our son was 10 years old. Lord willing this will be sustainable.
Week 1: using 1:1 THC to CBD seemed to initially look like it had some calming affects at a low dose. Less irritation and self injury. Over the weekend he went off of the meds because he was at respite care and just took over the counter CBD. Using ILERA’s HOPE 1 blend 0.25ml to 0.5ml.
Week 2: Then we started back up with .75 ml morning dose on Monday at 8am the rest of week and evening dose of 1ml. Disappointed to see That our son seemed to be back to normal behaviors of self injury and aggression towards morning staff.
Week 3: We went back to our local dispensary for some advise. They told us to not get frustrated because it took some clients several changes in products prior to getting the right blend and dosage. Therefore, we adjusted the ratio of THC to CBD. Using ILERA’s HOPE 2 (0.25 ml) seems promising for the initial week. Rick Simpson Oil-RSO is a powerful gel administered from a syringe with a screw on cap. One dot filling a small hole in a ritz cracker after the evening meal demonstrated immediate results. Our son was sleeping better through nights. No change in occurrence of OCD but apparent decrease of intense aggression during OCD and with caregivers during the day.
This week has shown significant changes in his ability to chill for longer periods of time. Sitting down versus irritated over his OCD. Weekly notes from caregivers are more positive versus negative. The RSO is very potent and is hard to judge amount to give. I do notice he seems to be able to request what he wants. For instant, he informed me by handing me medication that I had forgotten to give it to him. This was a good sign and appreciate his ability to inform me.
Note: According to our developmental pediatrician, higher levels of THC to CBD have produced best results in patients with autism. Most of the research results have been explored by doctors in Israel. The United States is finally starting to explore this, but is behind other countries.
This chart shows our sons progress over the past two months with respect to self injurious behavior and aggression.
Overall, there are several administrative steps to take before you are able to enter a dispensary, but I highly recommend it for those on the autism spectrum that have similar experiences as our family.
Comments are closed