CBD oil is currently one of the hottest topics in healthcare. Though there is all sorts of reliable science backing the idea that CBD oil is safe for adults, you do need to do a little more research before giving it to a child.
I’ve taken the time to study up on CBD oil’s uses for children and want to share all the helpful facts I found with you. Keep reading to find out of CBD oil is safe for children and learn everything you should know before treating your child with CBD oil.
What is CBD oil really?
Before getting deeper into all the data and science behind CBD oil, I want to clear up a few misconceptions about it first.
CBD is short for cannabidiol, and it refers to a type of naturally occurring compound found in marijuana and hemp plants. Up to 40 percent of the ingredients in the extract of marijuana are CBD, but it’s important to note that CBD oil is not just straight marijuana. It is a carefully distilled extract that isolates the cannabinoids in cannabis.
Unlike the THC compounds in marijuana, CBD compounds are not psychoactive. This means that they will not cause the classic sensation of being high. Instead, CBD activates serotonin receptors in the brain for a gentle calming effect.
Interestingly, CBD calms the body without making you feel sleepy or drowsy during the day. It can actually improve wakefulness and alertness when you need to be up. Similarly, it can increase sleepiness at night, when your body needs rest.
This is because CBD helps your body achieve homeostasis. In other words, it helps you into a balanced state and do more of what your body wants to be doing.
Is it safe to give to children?
Developing brains do respond differently to certain medications, so it’s understandable that you might want to find out whether or not it’s safe for children.
A report by the World Health Organization in 2017 concluded that there are no recognizable health problems associated with CBD usage.
WHO also cited a study that specifically looked at the effects of CBD versus a placebo drug on children who struggle with epilepsy. The study found that a small portion of test subjects experienced diarrhea and a loss of appetite, but there were no medical problems or issues with toxicity.
Another massive review of various studies on CBD safety agreed with the WHO report.
The results of seeing how hundreds of children react to CBD shows that there is no short or long term danger. In some rare circumstances, children might have mild side effects like diarrhea, but that was the extent of things.
For children who already have to take medications, the side effects of CBD oil may be safer than the side effects of many pharmaceuticals.
Keep in mind that you should always check with a doctor before giving your child any supplement or medication. The doctor can help you ascertain if it’s a safe and effective way of treating your child’s specific problem.
What do parents use CBD for anyway?
You might be wondering why people are even bothering to go through all the hoops just to give their child CBD. The reason CBD is so important to some parents is that it can be used to treat life-threatening illnesses.
CBD oil is particularly useful for some rare types of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome. It helps to calm overactivity in the brain, preventing children from suffering from dangerous seizures.
The most impressive aspect of CBD oil isn’t the ability to save lives for children with seizures, but that is not the only use for CBD.
Children with cancer can use CBD oil to reduce pain and chemo-related nausea, and the pain-management of CBD oil is useful for any other conditions that cause severe pain.
The oil can also provide mental health benefits.
CBD oil can treat depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, and insomnia without the risks for addiction and overdose that come with commonly prescribed benzodiazepines. Research from a professor of psychiatry also found it useful for managing PTSD in children.
How to hide the taste of CBD oil
Like any other new thing, your child is not always guaranteed to take it just because it’s healthy and safe. The taste of CBD oil can be a little strong and off-putting for children, so you might need to put a little thought into how you plan to give it to your child.
A simple solution is putting the CBD oil into a capsule that your child can swallow.
Another option is just mixing it into food.
Sweet flavors are particularly effective at covering up CBD tastes, so consider blending it into a smoothie or putting a few drops in pancake syrup in the morning.
If you want to actually cook with it instead of just mixing it into premade food, be cautious. Temperatures above 320 degrees Fahrenheit can make some of the helpful compounds evaporate
A few things to consider before buying CBD for your kids
With all the great benefits of CBD oil, you might be tempted to rush out and buy some right now. However, it’s important to know what you are purchasing instead of just grabbing the first CBD oil you see. Here are a few key things you need to pay attention to:
Not all CBD oils are THC free
Cannabidiol itself is a pure compound without any THC, but the reality is that most manufacturing processes are not precise enough to remove all THC from the extract.
Some customers actually want CBD oil with a little THC, so it’s a commonly sold item. This means that you can occasionally find products labeled as “CBD oil” that actually still have a fair amount of THC in them.
You’ll have to read the label carefully to make sure you don’t accidentally get your child high! Look for products with no more than 0.3 percent THC in them.
Our products have zero percent THC in them so they’re legal in all 50 states and have no psychoactive ingredients whatsoever.
Quality levels are not the same in all CBD products
CBD oil is not regulated quite as closely as prescription drugs, so not all CBD is held to high standards.
Avoid unscrupulous companies that produce CBD without the proper equipment and quality control methods. This can lead to oils that contain more THC than they claim, less CBD than they claim, or that have contamination problems. To make sure you get high-quality oil, look for a product manufactured in the United States.
Make sure you’re getting legal CBD
The legality of CBD tends to vary depending on where you are. Buying legally created CBD oil helps to ensure both the quality and keeps you from having any legal issues.
Not all types of CBD oil are legal in all states.
To avoid any issues, look for an oil labeled as PCR hemp oil. Legally speaking, hemp is a type of variant of the Cannabis sativa plant that does not have high THC concentrations, and it is legal to produce extracts from hemp in all 50 states.
Getting PCR hemp oil means you can be confident your oil is legal and free of high THC concentrations.
Avoid abnormally cheap CBD products
One last thing to remember is that if costs seem too good to be true, they probably are. I know it’s tempting to go for the cheapest option when you’re a budget-conscious family, but you don’t want to scrimp when it comes to CBD.
If you need to use it regularly and in high doses, it can be as much as $500 a month for CBD oil.
However, it costs this much because businesses have to pay a lot to get licensed and get the equipment needed to manufacture CBD oil properly. They also have to grow the hemp, bottle, market the product, etc. which adds up to significant numbers.
Paying a little more is worth it because it ensures you’re getting a decent product for the most part.
Final thoughts
As you can see, all the research on CBD oil for kids can basically be summed up to show that it’s a safe supplement.
However, just like any other supplement, you have to be careful with it. Only use it if your child has a diagnosed medical condition that can be treated with CBD, and be sure to talk to a doctor before starting use. As long as you buy reputable and high-quality CBD, you may find that it’s a groundbreaking treatment for seizures, anxiety, cancer, depression, and more.
