• Many parents of autistic children are desperate for the lack of effective means of treatment
  • Medical cannabis often provides the ultimate hope of improving the condition of their offspring

Autism and Cannabis in Brief

  • Autism is a group of disorders that affects brain development and causes communication problems, social interaction problems, and sometimes a tendency to self-harm.
  • Autism is caused by a combination of genetic mutations and external influences, such as advanced age at conception or problems in pregnancy
  • Doctors concentrate on the treatment of autism, for example, social skills learning and behavioral adjustment rather than drug use
  • Dfate has not been done by any official studies on cannabis autism treatment, but positive feedback from doctors and parents is increasingly
  • The lack of official scientific data prevents doctors from approving cannabis as an official cure for autism
  • The large number of active substances in cannabis makes it difficult to determine the right dose for children, so there is controversy about its use in the medical community

Autism and Cannabis Controversy

The application of medical cannabis for ill children is still a very controversial topic, so doctors, due to the lack of official studies to confirm its effectivenesst on autism, simply does not allow cannabis to prescribe.

The main reason for the acute lack of official studies is the fact that health institutions are afraid to test cannabis on children because of the many active substances (cannabinoids) perceived as potentially uncontrollable variables.

In absentHowever, there is a wave of unofficial evidence that cannabis data show that cannab is making autistic children happier and healthier, which has attracted the attention of several doctors.

Thats what Dr. Giovanni Martinez, a clinical psychologist from Porto Rico, who, among other things, founded the SURF4DEM Foundation, which familiarizes children and families affected by autism with the therapeutic properties and effects of surfing.

Martinezshe is currently investigating the therapeutic options for treating autistic children using CBD extract and is showing promising results. It describes one particular case where one of the children spoke for the first time after consuming the oiltwice a day. Furthermore, after only three weeks of treatment, the child who had not yet been speaking had a pronounced appearancestep in language skills.

In addition, Martinez reported that: "Initially it was a child of his inability to communicate so frustrated that started freaking out and hurting themselves. Now when I can express is smiling and enjoying life. Seeing a child the beginning of an inability to communicate and then to achieve an improved quality of life for himself and his family is amazing. "

Joeys Strain

Another successful story comes from Miek Hester-Perez, founder of the Unconventional Foundation for Autism and member of the board of directors for Cannabis Science. Mieka comes from a conservative family whose members are deeply rooted in the police, which is at least unusual with a cannabis lawyer. But she is also the mother of Joey, a boy whom Aaron Justin of Buds and Rose Collective, along with masterful cannabis breeders Kyle Kushman, bred Joeys strain.

Hester-Perez turned to cannabis only when Joey with autism was diagnosed for Duchenne muscular dystrophy - a rare and aggressive degenerative muscle disorder. According to the doctors, he had left by only 6 months of life , during which he was to take a mixture of drugs with a number of serious side effects. In addition, at that time he was already taking around 13 different pills a day.

When snaze find less harmful treatments that could prolong Joey's life Hester-Perez hit cannabis. Out of curiosity, she began to serve healing cannabis to her son. Shortly thereafter, Joey began to make eye contact, which is a common problem for autistic children. His appetite seemed to stimulate the hemp food, and so Joey began to gain weight. Now, 6 years after deadly diagnoses is Joey a happy, social and prosperous child.

Despite the good results, criticism of some medical and scientific professionals has come to Hester-Perez. Hester replied, "As long as you arethey did not walk my and Joey's way until you saw how the child was before taking cannabis and how many advances he made after he started, how much his life improved,you can judge. "

Joeys strain autism

What is Autism?

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (PAS), is a collection of complex brain development disorders. As a "spectrum", PAS affects individuals in different scales, but in general an autistic person suffers from three major symptoms:

    • Communication problems
      • Problems with social interaction
      • Repeated, mostly self-damaging behavior patterns

While some children with PAS are considered intellectually backward, others are characterized as "highly functional" - they can excel in music, mathematics, or art. In addition, some symptoms may improve with increasing age. However, other children with autism are incapable of communicating and may commit self-harming behavior.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.5%, or 1 in 68 children born in the US, is diagnosed with PAS. The number of children diagnosed has increased tenfold over the past 40 years, with boys being more prone to autism than girls.

What Causes Autism?

Until recently, the answer was "We don't know." But now we know that there is not only one cause. Research tells us that autism can be traced back to early brain development.

Only over the past few years have researchers identified a number of mutations and rare genetic changes, and several of them can play a role as a catalyst for autism. In other cases, autism may be caused by a combination of environmental influences and genetic predispositions that affect early brain development.

Groups such as the Organization for Autism Research fund research aimed at detecting autism in younger years, as the most obvious symptoms surface on the second to third year of life. Thus, earlier diagnosis may mean greater efficacy of treatment.

Other risk factors may be:

      • Parents age at conception
      • Mothers disease during pregnancy
      • Problems during pregnancy or childbirth, such as insufficient oxygen supply to the babys brain

None of these effects alone causes autism, but in conjunction with genetic predisposition, risk increases. However, according to encouraging evidence, women can reduce the risk of developing autism in their children by following a diet rich in folic acid and taking prenatal vitamins before and after conception.

Current curativemethods of autism

Every autistic child is unique. What works for one child can have an adverse effect on others.

At least kBehavioral therapies that include, for example, social skills training or a parent-led session under the supervision of a therapist are an anti-controversial treatment.

Children demonstrate the positive impact of two behavioral interventions applied during the early childhood:

      • Lovaas Model based on applied behavioral analysis
      • Early Start Denver Model

Other well-studied and proven therapies that can be effective are:

      • Pivotal Response Therapy
      • Floortime
      • Verbal Behavioral Therapy

Extensive structured therapeutic activities, the development of social skills, and the development of motor skills are gaining in effectiveness with advancing ageand teaching rhetoric.

Strangely enough, there are very few autism-approved drugs. In fact, there are only two approved drugs for irritation associated with autism, but a drug that can cure the 3 main characteristics of autism - communication difficulties, difficulty in social interaction and repeated patterns of behavior - has not yet been approved.

2 approved drugs are:

      • Risperdal
      • Abilify

While these two medicines can bring relief by reducing irritability, self-harming behavior and aggressive explosions, they also carry serious side effects.such as diabetes, severe weight gain, gynecomastia (breast growth in men), locomotive disorders and heart problems.

Another dosblunt drugs are only experimental with unknown risks or medications for disability that are similar to autism such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), sleep disorders and depression.

She saidd:

      • SSRIs (antidepressants)
      • Stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderal
      • Naltrexone, a drug for alcohol or opiate addiction that relieves repeated self-harmful behavior.

It is important to note that none of these drugs have been clinically tested for risks or positive effects for autistic children. In addition, determining the right drug and the right dose is at least problematic.

Autism Marijuana

Can cannabis treat autism?

More and more parents of autistic children, frustrated by the lack of treatment options, are turning to cannabis. Many have heard rumors of cannabis efficacy, while others have read about promising results in children with epilepsy. However, clinical studies supporting these claims do not yet exist.

However, this does not mean that it does not existno promising research:

      • A 2013 study by Dr. Dariem Siniscalcem found that some of the cannabis functions, more specifically the CB2 receptors, may be useful in the treatment of autism.
      • A study by Dr. Csaba Foldy published at the Second University of Naples in collaboration with Stanford University Medical School in 2013 found that changes in endocannabinoid signaling can contribute to the development of autism.
        • According to the Autism Research Institute, medicinal cannabis alleviates anxiety, panic disorders, anger, property destruction and self-harm.
        • Dr. Daniele Piomelli and Dr. Olivier Manzoni found that certain cannabis substances can improve problem behavior in children with autism or fragile X syndrome.

Furthermore, the scientific team led by Dr. Piomelli discovered that cannabinoids are not only important for normal social regulationbehavior, but may also be involved in dysfunctional behavior that accompanies certain forms of autism. Piomelli describes the process as follows:

"Endocannabinoids offer the hope of normalizing social behavior in autistic children by enhancing social activity and disrupting their destructive behavior."

Does Cannabis Cost Behind Its Risks?

As scientists follow the evidence, few of them are willing to recommend cannabis for the treatment of autism. In contrast to the treatment of epilepsy, which is only mentioned in 1843, there is simply not enough evidence for most doctors to be able to prescribe cannabis as a medicine.

Piomelli warns that doseIt may be problematic and most parents may not be well equipped with such knowledge to assess and monitor the correct dosage. Doing so without leading a qualified professional can have serious consequences.

"Pharmacology is completeabout dosing. Small doses can be beneficial while large ones can be harmful. One thing people need to understand is that even if the endocannabinoid system has a defensive role, it doesnt mean that activating this system cannot be dangerous. There is still a risk that the endocannabinoid system will turn against you. For example, even if the intention is to improve social behavior, the opposite can happen. "

"The fact that it is a plant, ehor further complicates. Most pharmacological drugs are the only active substance,however, cannabis contains hundreds of them. This can be good on one hand and bad on the other. Many attribute the efficacy of cannabis to the so-called Entourage effect, or synergy between substances. While synergy can be beneficial, determining the process and the substance that helps us in this case is still very problematic. "

Like most docsPiomelli does not recommend cannabis for the treatment of autism because there is not enough solid evidence. Unlike epilepsy, research on autism is at a very early stage. But Piomelli recognizes that in some cases cannabis use is understandable.

"DetermineI would not judge the decision of parents who are desperate and willing to try. I say only be very, very careful."

Other professionals in private admit that for parents who have exhausted all the possibilities, the potential risks of cannabis treatment are acceptable. According to Bernard Rimland, founder of the Autism Society for Autism and former director of the Autism Research Institute, the risks of cannabis are very mild compared to, for example, Risperdal or psychotropic drugs that Dr. Rimland considers it the least useful and at the same time the most dangerous.

"Testimonials of parents and patients nand indicate that cannabis usually works where all other medicines and therapies have failed. "

And what about you, our readers? What is your opinion about treating autism with helphemp? Share your feedback or experience with us in the comments section!