Cannabinoids in childhood | Kalapa Clinic – Shop Marijuana Dispensary Brampton Canada

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There's a lot severe diseases that may appear during childhood, such as epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism or cerebral palsy, to mention just a few.

To treat these patients, doctors try various medications to see which is more effective, medications that often cause negative side effects in children. Based on clinical trials and research, this article will explain how medicinal cannabis could help in a totally safe way to improve the childhood of children with certain conditions.

Interaction between cannabinoids and childhood

First, it is important to understand the effects of cannabinoids in children. From the first day, humans are exposed to endocannabinoids (natural cannabis molecules within the body). A 2004 study found that all individuals are born with cannabinoid receptors, which has led researchers to believe that the endocannabinoid system plays a key role in pre and postnatal growth.

It has also been studied that when a baby is breastfed, there are endocannabinoids present in breast milk. In addition, cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1) have been directly related to the action of suckling, which means that there is a related process between food and appetite. Interestingly, scientists have also discovered a neuroprotective mechanism in the postnatal development of the brain. However, all these components are not only present in children from birth, but also during the growth of the child, helping in physical and social functions.

Epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are all neurological disorders that compromise the normal evolution of the nervous system. These dysfunctions affect memory, self-control, learning skills, problems with sleep, chronic pain, spasticity, seizures, social anxiety and emotions. These complications have a vital impact on the body, for example, if there are up to 300 seizures a day, the body will not mature properly because it is too busy fighting these attacks. In addition, when the sleep quality is interrupted, a new set of problems occurs. Finally, there are sometimes cases of an overlap of symptoms, say, that a child affected by epilepsy may also show signs of ADHD.

Use of cannabinoids at different ages

It is essential to bear in mind that, due to the differences between pediatric brains, adolescents and adults, some cannabinoids can not be prescribed for young people. For example, the use of cannabis during adolescence it could damage neuroplasticity (the ability to reconnect neurons whose connections were damaged), causing deterioration in memory and motor deterioration.

Additionally, the evidence supports an associative role in promoting the onset of psychosis. This information comes from the consumption of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive substance found in the cannabis plant. Previous studies suggest that adolescence could be a period in which the brain is susceptible to the effects of THC. However, the second most prominent cannabinoid called Cannabidiol (CBD) has a host of therapeutic advantages. This has been increasingly studied in the field of neurology and the findings show that it does not cause psychoactive reactions nor deficiencies in the activities of the nervous system.

CBD attenuates lesions associated with neurodegenerative and / or ischemic conditions. On the other hand, positive neurogenesis (new generation of nerves) and the decrease of psychotic, anxious and depressive behaviors have been reported. A study published in 2010 found that CBD generates new neurons throughout adulthood in mice, whereas THC had no effect. The researchers concluded that the CBD could have the same behavior in humans and even more interesting, no damage in learning abilities was reported.

The World Health Organization officially declared in 2017 that the CBD does not seem to have a dependency profile or cause any harm, which means that it does not entail health risks and has a low potential for abuse. As for use in pediatric medicine, CBD is not psychoactive, this means that it does not produce the feeling of euphoria or drunkenness, as well as those caused by THC.

In countries that have a medical cannabis reform, CBD is only prescribed during childhood if all other therapies have failed. CBD has also been shown to reduce seizures, pain, insomnia, stress and anxiety. In summary, with all these incredible premises, this could be a very useful resource for young patients suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders.

It is true that more research is needed, however, considering the abundance of cannabinoid receptors in nerve tissues, the different cannabinoids are a good option as treatment for children during childhood, since conventional remedies leave much to be desired.

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* This post has been made based on existing research until the date of publication of the article. Due to the increase of studies around medical cannabis, the information exposed may vary over time and we will inform in subsequent writings.


Cannabinoids in childhood


Cannabinoids in childhood


Being born with an incurable disorder and finding the right treatment for the symptoms as soon as possible is key. A treatment with cannabinoids could be the answer for thousands of children suffering different diseases during their childhood.


Rosie Flower

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Kalapa Clinic

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