How Helpful is Use of Medical Cannabis in Children and Youth
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Even today, The Use of Medical Cannabis in Children and Youth is still controversial. Still, its use among kids is rising quickly. Paediatricians argue that if no other effective treatments are available for a child’s life-limiting or life-threatening disease, Medical Marijuana may be a feasible choice.
Therefore, the argument for using Medical Cannabis in Children is not yet established. It may be claimed that it is only at the beginning stages. As a result, Paediatricians may be required to address this with their patients and families more frequently. They may also need to be familiar with the complex web of varying laws and regulations, the wide range of products containing various cannabis compounds and doses, and the ongoing studies on the advantages and safety of these products for kids.
What is Medical Cannabis?
“Medical Cannabis” refers to Cannabis Sativa Plant products used to treat symptoms brought on by particular illnesses. Although used for Medical reasons, it is essentially the same product as marijuana used for recreational purposes. Due to production and governmental restrictions, the use of Cannabis as Medicine has not undergone thorough testing.
As a result, there has been little clinical research to determine the safety and effectiveness of using Cannabis to treat diseases. Several delivery systems can administer Medical Cannabis, including pills, tablets, tinctures, dermal patches, oral or dermal sprays, edible cannabis, and inhaling or smoking dried buds. It is unclear whether Medical Marijuana is a good treatment for any ailment or whether its risks outweigh any benefits due to the generally poor quality of studies on the subject.
Medical Cannabis in Children
Children and Youth are increasingly using Medical Cannabis to address a range of illnesses. We discovered that pure CBD was used to treat pain, seizures, and sleep issues, while THC was most frequently used to treat stiffness, seizures, lack of weight gain, and nausea. In participants treated with THC, the most prominent Medication effects were reported as pain, stiffness, vomiting, or nausea.
In people treated with pure CBD, the most significant treatment effects were reported for Seizure frequency. Most caregivers believed that Medical Cannabis treatment improved their children’s and adolescents’ quality of life, whether they were treated with THC, CBD or a formulation containing both.
How Medical Cannabis Affects Children with Autism
The Demanding behaviours of Agitation, Impatience, Violence and Self-Injury are frequently seen in Children and Youth with developmental impairments such as intellectual disability. Up to two-thirds of autistic Children and teenagers exhibit aggression. These actions may be dangerous to the person or their caregivers. Behavioural issues greatly disturb the families and caregivers of Autistic Children and Youth, as they are a significant cause of morbidity, functional impairments, and diminished quality of life. Burnout and abandonment among caregivers pose a genuine concern in extreme circumstances.
Treatment for Behavioural issues in patients with developmental impairments can be challenging. Environmental change and Medication are the only options since Psychological approaches are frequently ineffectual. As Medical Marijuana’s Potential to treat various Adult Psychiatric Ailments becomes clearer, parents and doctors are becoming increasingly interested in using it to treat behavioural issues in children with developmental disorders.
Numerous Anecdotal reports from parents of kids with developmental problems describe significant behavioural improvements after administering either illegal or prescribed cannabis products. Reduced agitation and aggression have been noted, and the ability to reduce or stop antipsychotic medications, with a corresponding elimination of side effects from these drugs. However, using Medical Cannabis in Children is still not well supported by studies.
Effects of Medical Cannabis in Children with Epilepsy
In addition to the Hazards associated with actual seizures, intractable Epilepsy Significantly impacts the development and quality of life of newborns, children, and their families. Most of these kids receive multiple therapies, each of which has adverse effects. The therapeutic properties of Cannabis in treating various illnesses have recently attracted growing interest in the domains of clinical research and medicine. Its use as an anticonvulsant for refractory Epilepsy, particularly in the pediatric population, is one of the main areas of study.
Recurrent unprovoked Seizures are a defining feature of the chronic condition of Epilepsy. Since ancient times, Cannabis-based medicines have been utilized to treat several illnesses, including epilepsy.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that CBD helps reduce seizure frequency in kids with treatment-resistant Epilepsy, whether taken alone as a pharmaceutical-grade preparation or as part of a CBD-enriched Cannabis herbal extract. However, the research evaluating medical cannabis in children is either retrospective or small-scale observational studies, which limits their ability to draw firm conclusions on the Effectiveness of Cannabis herbal extracts in reducing seizure frequency.
Social media, patient and family advocacy organizations, and online activity have significantly increased public interest in Cannabis as an alternative treatment for people with Epilepsy over the past ten years. The Use of Cannabis and CBD for treating Epilepsy, particularly in the pediatric population, has been the subject of renewed basic and clinical study due to public demand.
Benefits of Medical Cannabis in Children and Youth
Although some adult Mental Health conditions may benefit from the use of Medicinal Cannabis, there is currently no data on its Effectiveness in Children and Youth. Uncontrolled observational studies have reported that Cannabidiol-rich products may assist in lessening behavioural issues in young autistic people.
There is currently only substantial evidence to support pure Cannabidiol (CBD) use to treat certain types of refractory Epilepsy. However, in most cases, artisanal strains of Medical Marijuana high in CBD are used to treat children with various kinds of refractory Epilepsy or Irritability. There is little research on the Use and Effectiveness of other Medical Marijuana in Children.
Conclusion
Decisions to use Medicinal Cannabis in Children and Youth should be taken with prudence and based on evidence, as recreational Cannabis use during youth is linked to significant adverse outcomes. Medical Cannabis use is thought to have a relatively strong placebo effect.
Several high-quality clinical trials of Medicinal Cannabis products are currently being carried out worldwide to treat behavioural issues in young people with developmental disorders. However, the evidence for treating this patient group is still insufficient.