CBD's Effects on Autism

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As CBD's popularity grows, so do the chances for people to give it their first shot. It's 2020, and with the world eager to find healthier ways of dealing with stress and high levels of anxiety, CBD emerges as one of the possible solutions.

Currently, cannabidiol is more than just a remedy for stress - it's getting more popular among medical circles and scientists too! While most of the world's countries still haven't fully legalized CBD, which decreases the chances of performing valuable research, it still won't stop people from using CBD for its relief properties.

However, for some, CBD is not just about relief - people with autism are especially satisfied with CBD benefits. It allows for more peaceful sleep and the general disappearance of their feelings of restlessness.

With that in mind, let's elaborate more on the connection between CBD and autism.

What You Need To Know About Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD ) covers a range of conditions present among children and is related to challenges with social skills, speech, behavior, and non-verbal communication. Autism may be diagnosed on a spectrum, and that's where it gets the name, as every child and person with autism experiences different difficulties and challenges.

Even today, there's a lot of stigma surrounding autism, but we as a society have made enough progress in acknowledging the fact that autism is not a disease. People with autism are born that way and don't need any cure, regardless of harmful preconceived notions.

The brain of an autistic person works differently:

It might be harder to communicate clearly;
It's harder to understand other people's feelings;
Loud noises, extreme brightness may cause feelings of stress or overwhelmedness;
It takes more time to learn new things.

The real cause of autism remains unknown, although there have been some speculations that it may be genetic. Autism among children can be diagnosed after the age of two.

Therefore, incorporating CBD as a therapeutic remedy is not as simple as with adults. Hence, parents need to stay informed about CBD and autism's relation before introducing it into their children's lives.

CBD and Autism - Benefits and Studies

There are no studies that demonstrably prove that CBD can help cure the common symptoms of autism.

Nevertheless, there are more than enough studies to prove the benefits of CBD for people with autism.

A study on mice in 2017 proved that CBD could effectively reduce seizures and mend social behavior. The mice were infused with Dravet syndrome, a childhood epilepsy disorder. After being treated with low doses of CBD, the mice exhibited significant changes in their interactions. Therefore, the study demonstrated that CBD could effectively deal with communication problems arising from Dravet syndrome. Considering that 25% of children with DS also experience the symptoms of autism, this study may be a beacon of hope.

The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders did a study in 2018 to explore CBD's effectiveness in 60 children living with autism. The results are not to be underestimated: around 61% of the children showed significant improvement in their behavior. Ultimately, they reported experiencing a few side effects, such as sleep deprivation or lack of appetite.

But one of the most significant studies was done last year by scientists in Israel, where 188 children living with autism used CBD regularly for over six months. Nearly 90% of them said their feelings of restlessness had disappeared, and according to the children's caregivers, many also overcame their sleeping troubles and rage attacks, thanks to the CBD treatment. Nearly 60% of the children slept more peacefully, thanks to CBD, and around 90% didn't have another rage attack after participating in the study.

Risks of Using CBD for Autism

There are still some concerns regarding CBD. For starters, it's still not exclusively legal. Most US states have made efforts to allow CBD to be sold as a medical treatment for autism, but right now, the only available CBD medicine is for epilepsy.

So, for parents of children on the spectrum to prevent any troubles from happening, they need to educate themselves on the risks of using CBD.

Why?

Because there cannot be any conflicts between their children's current medical therapies and the newly introduced CBD products!

Also, the doses and concentrations of CBD need to be modeled to the specific child's needs, as children's bodies are more sensitive than adults. Some parents are concerned about CBD's effect on their children’s' livers, which is just a drop in the ocean of concerns. All of these concerns should be addressed with medical professionals before considering incorporating CBD in treatments for autism.

Conclusion

Autism is a common disorder among children, with one in 54 children in the US being affected. Unfortunately, the condition is for life, and it may affect the ability to understand other people's feelings, learn, and socialize.

CBD positively influences children living with autism, reducing anxiety levels, controlling bursts of anger, and alleviating sleeping disorders. As always, it's crucial to stay informed about the connection between CBD and autism medications to get the optimal results.