AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS & MEDICAL CANNABIS
| If you have a child suffering with autism, don’t despair. There are many new research studies coming out to support Medical Cannabis and dietary treatments as being successful to effectively manage and treat autistic symptoms. Don’t be afraid to try these methods out as they deliver considerably less side effects than traditional pharmaceutical treatments. |
Autism is a developmental disorder that initially occurs in early childhood. It generally affects a child’s language, behaviour and social skills in development.
The exact cause is unknown but some reasons may include medications taken during pregnancy, exposure to toxins, infections, immunizations, inflammation, leaky gut, nutrient deficiencies, food allergies and inborn errors of metabolism.
Signs and Symptoms of Autism
As you learn more about autism you’ll find there are certain behaviours common amongst afflicted children. Let’s look at some of the most common behaviours associated with autism:
- Need for repeated rituals
- Repetitive and compulsive behaviours
- Repetition of certain motor activities
- Tantrums
The repetition of motor activities is often the viewable symptoms of autism.
Some of these include
- Body rocking
- Feeling textures
- Flicking
- Grunting
- Hand or limb flapping
- Head banging
- Scratching
- Spinning
- Tapping
- Teeth grinding
- Tracing
- Yelling
ADHD is commonly treated with central nervous system stimulants or less commonly nonstimulants that affect norepinephrine and/or dopamine levels and behavioural therapy. ADHD drugs often have undesirable side effects including stunted growth, loss of appetite, sleep problems, headaches, stomach pains, tics and emotional extremes. As Medical Cannabis becomes increasingly accepted there is growing interest in its use for children and adolescents with developmental and behavioural problems such as autism. There is anecdotal evidence that Cannabis's main non psychoactive compound Cannabidiol or CBD helps children in ways no other medication has.
Scientists are driven by data, few doctors or researchers are willing to recommend Cannabis to treat autism. In contrast to epilepsy which has references dating back as far as 1843. There isn’t a sufficient body of evidence for most physicians to feel comfortable recommending Cannabis as a treatment. Good news is in September 2016 Israeli doctors became the first in the world to seek permission to treat autistic children with Medical Cannabis in a clinical trial. Now some of the first children in the world are being treated with Medical Cannabis in an officially sanctioned doctor monitored program.