BY HEATHER DEROSE
Autism, also referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a complex neurodevelopment disorder characterized by a diverse range of conditions, including challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. These symptoms affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 59 children in the United States are affected by the disorder and more than 70 million people worldwide. ASD occurrence among boys is four times more than girls and occurs in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Children with autism typically express indicators by age 2 or 3. There’s a wide range of factors that may influence the development of the disorder: gastrointestinal disorders, seizures, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and attention issues. There is no defined standard medical approach to treat the condition, and growing research and anecdotal evidence suggest cannabis may help, which has parents interested in trying cannabis therapy for their children.
1 IN 59 CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES ARE AFFECTED Among the parents seeing positive results with cannabis use and their children is Adam Meredith. Adam is the father of Adyson and AJ who live in Missouri. Adyson was diagnosed with ADS when she was 3 years old. In his own words, Adam has, “Personally been a long-time consumer of cannabis and have incorporated it into my protocol as a professional MMA fighter, so I already knew first hand of its potential benefits.” He first started adding hemp foods into his daughter’s diet when she was 5 and added full spectrum CBD when she was 7 years old. “I began incorporating cannabis foods into her diet at first in the form of hemp seeds.” He also added CBD to her food and started giving her the drops directly. In addition, the family provided early childhood education for her speech and language development as well as social skills. “It’s hard to pinpoint any one thing because we take a very holistic approach to health by incorporating many
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healthy behaviors, but since implementing cannabis products into Adyson’s regular routine, we have certainly seen improvements with her rest and mood. I often give CBD to Adyson before bed because it aids in giving her a restful night sleep which is essential to everyone’s health.” Adam also says, “I highly recommend parents of all children—on and off of the spectrum—to incorporate cannabis products, whether that’s hemp seeds or CBD drops; everyone can benefit.” Several states allow the use of cannabis for those with autism. After years of talking with legislatures, Colorado has added Autism Spectrum Disorder to the list qualifying conditions. The study “Real Life Experience of Medical Cannabis Treatment in Autism; Analysis of Safety and Efficacy” followed 188 ASD patients over six months, 156 of the patients were under the age of 18. There’s more to learn about cannabis
