Is CBD safe for children? – What you need to know!

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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

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Introduction

You've probably seen articles online or heard other parents talk about cannabidiol oil, a.k.a. CBD oil. Its popularity is growing as a remedy for issues like chronic pain, anxiety, and side effects from cancer treatments. Some parents even say giving their child the oil has helped with autism and seizure disorders.

But is CBD safe for children? Can CBD oil help kids deal with anxiety? CBD oil for children and CBD oil, in general, was created for Charlotte Figi. A 2-year-old girl who suffered from Dravet Syndrom. The Standley Brothers in Colorado USA then created a CBD oil to treat her seizures. Find out how you can safely use CBD oil for your child helping anxiety, ADHD, Epilepsy, and sleep issues.

Is CBD Oil Safe for Children?

Because the effects of CBD oil vary greatly, being able to say definitively whether CBD oil is safe for children is difficult. However, research has indicated that children may safely take daily doses of up to 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Adverse side effects of CBD are uncommon, even in high doses, with sleepiness being the most common. Several studies have implicated CBD in the effective treatment of child epilepsy, behavioural conditions like ADHD, and child anxiety.

Here are a few :

• Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Oil for Pediatric Anxiety and Insomnia as Part of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report
• Cannabinoids in Pediatrics
• Use of Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Epilepsy: Efficacy and Security in Clinical Trials

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Is It Legal to Give CBD to Children?

Recreational cannabis products containing THC are not acceptable for children. In fact, it's completely illegal to give products containing THC to children.

Modern extraction techniques allow manufacturers to remove the THC from their final products (broads spectrum CBD) — allowing them to be given safely and legally to children.

With that said, it's advised to consult with your child's doctor before giving them any supplements — including CBD.

When Should You Consider Giving CBD oil to Your Child?

There are plenty of reasons why you may want to give your kids a CBD product.

With proper dosing, children can benefit greatly from CBD. CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning that it won't produce any psyco-active. It works just like any other food supplement.

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8 Reasons Why Parents Are Choosing to Give Their Children CBD

CBD oil for child Anxiety

Children often experience anxiety — whether it's from, pressures at home or school, or difficulties making friends. It's normal, and most children manage to get through it without the need for powerful pharmaceutical medications.

However, CBD can be used to address anxiety in the short term.

The compound works by increasing the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain which is connected to lowering hyperactivity in the nervous system. It helps the mind to relax after a stressful event.

Child Epilepsy seizures and the use of CBD

One of the main reasons CBD has become so popular in recent years is its ability to treat epilepsy. Most of this research was completed using children as case studies — starting with a girl named Charlotte Figi.

From the time she was just 3 months old, Charlotte suffered hundreds of small and large seizures a day. Pharmaceutical treatments proved ineffective, and, by the age of 5, Charlotte struggled to walk and talk and required a feeding tube.

After hearing about a family in California that treated their child's seizures with oil made from cannabis, Paige Figi (Charlottes Mum) began to research the possibility and soon connected with a Colorado Springs medical marijuana dispensary owner named Joel Stanley, who, along with his brothers, had helped develop a strain of cannabis rich in cannabidiol, or CBD.

Charlotte's story blew up in the media and has been a major contributor to the popularity of CBD today.

There's been a significant amount of research done on the use of CBD for epilepsy in both adults and children alike.

CBD for Autism

In recent years, CBD has caught the attention of medical researchers around the globe as a potential treatment for autism.

There is no cure for the disorder. However, there is plenty of room for improvement in managing symptoms — especially side-effects such as anxiety, seizures, mood swings, and higher potential for addictive behaviour. All of these symptoms are reduced with the use of CBD.

CBD's effect on Insomnia or sleep disorders

Perhaps the most common reason why parents are giving their children CBD is to treat insomnia or sleep disorders.

Overstimulation can cause many children to experience difficulties shutting off at the end of the day. Their brains remain wired for hours in bed after spending so much time in front of screens both at home and at school.

CBD is an excellent supplement for supporting sleep. It's not directly sedating, so you don't have to worry about tranquilizing your child. It merely slows hyperactivity in the brain — giving your child the chance to wind down and fall asleep naturally.

ADHD and CBD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurological disorder affecting roughly 1 in 15 children in the western world.

Current treatment options are mainly pharmaceutical. Stimulant drugs, including Adderall and methylphenidate, help with symptoms but often bring their own set of negative side-effects. Therefore, many parents are seeking natural alternative options instead.

CBD offers great help for ADHD symptoms. One of the key symptoms of ADHD is hyperactivity — something CBD products are particularly useful for relieving.

The relaxing nature of CBD helps hyperactive children remain calm and relieves common side-effects such as anxiety and insomnia.

Asthma and CBD oil

Asthma comes in many different forms, from mild to severe.

The underlying cause of asthma is inflammation and swelling of the airways. Medications such as salbutamol are most commonly used for treating childhood asthma — however, these medications can form tolerance, meaning that the more your child uses it, the less effective it becomes over time. Eventually, you will need to increase the dose or find another medication to relieve symptoms.

CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that acts on several inflammatory pathways. It works best as a preventative for asthma attacks, rather than as a direct “in-the-moment-help”.

As a daily supplement, CBD is suggested to resist the immune activation involved with asthma. It also relaxes the muscles lining the airway and lowers stress levels — both of which heavily contribute to an asthmatic reaction.

CBD for Motion Sickness

Inside our ears is a unique set of nerves designed to relay messages to the brain regarding our association to the ground. This helps us determine up from down and maintain our balance.

If this system becomes dysfunctional — which can happen while sitting in a car for too long or while on unstable surfaces such as a boat — the brain panics and makes us feel nauseous. The brain is essentially tricked into thinking we must have eaten something poisonous, so it tries to get it out of the body by making us vomit.

CBD interacts closely with the endocannabinoid system by preventing the breakdown of our natural endocannabinoids. This effect is thought to be the reason why CBD is so useful for alleviating nausea.

It's even been shown to provide relief to cancer patients experiencing extreme bouts of nausea following a chemotherapy session.

Skin Conditions treated with CBD

CBD products are great for skin conditions — both internally in the form of CBD oils or supplements, as well as topically as a balm or cream.

Dandruff, psoriasis, eczema, insect bites, and small cuts can all benefit from the anti-inflammatory and vulnerary (which means it speeds up the healing process) effects of CBD products.

When it comes to topical CBD products, not all products are created equal. There's a lot of poorly formulated products that contain irritating chemicals or low CBD content or lack additional beneficial ingredients. So be sure to read the label properly before you start using it on your child and on yourself.

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Children's CBD dosage

Due to the nature of cannabinoids and the complex ways in which they interact with the body, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dosing CBD oil for children or adults. Studies suggest that it's nearly impossible to take an unsafe amount of CBD, the best approach is to talk to your child's doctor or an expert for further guidance.

How to Calculate Children's CBD Dosage

Children are much smaller than adults and tend to have significantly less body fat — which plays a big role in the effects of a supplement or medication. In general, children are also often more sensitive to supplements, so it's important to be well informed whenever you start giving any to them. Children's doses can vary a lot depending on their age and body weight.

Children's doses are most easily calculated from adult's doses, so the first step is to get a baseline.

Even in adults, the appropriate dose can vary significantly. The biggest determining factor is the weight and the desired strength.

When choosing a CBD oil for children, aim for a low potency (300 mg or 500 mg bottles). This allows you to measure small doses more easily.

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FAQ – Is CBD safe for children

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Summery – Is CBD safe for children?

We are not doctors and we can not promise you anything, but answering the question: “Is CBD oil safe to give to kids?” we would say YES.

• If you make sure you get a product that is third party lab tested.
• You should buy from a reputable CBD company.
• Start on a low dosage and increase either the number or the frequency of drops every few days until you see improvement.
• Do it in co-operation with your doctor or an expert.

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The Real CBD for children

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