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In a recent drift , parents of children with some form of epilepsy are give marijuana to their nipper in hope of alleviating the seizures , but investigator say cannabis is not a proven intervention for childhood epilepsy , and people should look for rigorous studies to decide whether the drug is safe or in force .
In fact , parents with high expectations may overestimate the event of marijuana on children withepilepsy , allege the investigator , who presented their data point today ( Dec. 8) at the meeting of the American Epilepsy Society in Seattle .
Inone study , the researchers surveil parent in Colorado whose tike had epilepsy and were treated with marijuana . Parents who had moved to the state because it is effectual there to expend pot recreationally were three fourth dimension more likely to report that ganja helped their child , compared with families who already lived in the DoS . [ 11 Surprising fact About Placebos ]
" I can opine these poor families , who are just desperate for anything to work on , " say the study ’s senior investigator , Dr. Kevin Chapman , an associate professor of clinical neurology at the University of Colorado . However , it ’s concerning that the researchers found " that the grownup predictor of whether you reply was whether you actually moved from out of state . "
Cannabis contains a number of chemical substance that are mean to exercise effects on the consistence and thinker , sound out Dr. Shaun Hussain , the director of the University of California , Los Angeles Infantile Spasms Program .
The two big players are the compounds THC ( THC ) and cannabidiol ( CBD ) .
THC is associated with the in high spirits that number with take aim cannabis , and has also been show up to thin nausea and increase hungriness , Hussain say .
" It has traditionally been think that CBD did n’t do a whole lot , but attention has focused on CBD as the chemical that may slim down seizures , " Hussain pronounce . But enquiry hasyet to determine CBD ’s usefulness .
" From a physician standpoint , it ’s kind of daunting because we do n’t know anything about it , " Chapman said . " We do n’t know about side effects , we do n’t experience about drug interactions , we do n’t have sex whether it works or not . "
Parent surveys
Some grounds is beginning to derive in from surveys of family who have collapse the drug to their children .
In one subject , Chapman and his colleagues look at 58 nestling , average age of 7 , who receivedmarijuanafor their epilepsy .
The parent of 18 of the 58 children report that the number of gaining control their kids suffer was reduced by half while they were use up the drug — suggesting that about 30 percent of the kids profit . In addition , 29 percent reported their minor prove improved on the qui vive and improved conduct .
But the researchers had brain wave readings called electroencephalograms ( EEGs ) for 16 of the 58 kids in the study that were taken before and during discussion with marijuana . They found that just two kids show signs of advance , the researchers sound out . This translate to 12.5 pct of these kids seeing a benefit .
And meanwhile , minus side effect occurred in 47 per centum of all the child in the sketch , with 21 percent of them having more seizures than before , 14 percent having somnolence or fatigue duty , and 10 percent have more severe effects , include one fry who needed intubation to help breathing , and another who died , although the researchers felt the death was unrelated to the marihuana .
One likely problem with the study is that some doctors hire children off other medicament they were taking when the small fry start taking cannabis extracts , which may have altered the chemical science within their bodies , Chapman noted . Also , cannabismay regard the engrossment level of other drugs the kid are taking , which can also change how they reply to their epilepsy , the doctors said .
Marijuana from dispensaries may also have varying concentration of its chemical , and parents may be unsure of what venereal disease to give their child , the research worker added . [ 11 Odd Facts About Marijuana ]
The finding highlight the need for controlled studies , Chapman aver . " By doing more placebo - control trials , I think we ’re going to get a better tone for whether it ’s good for epilepsy , " he said .
Anotherparent survey , by Hussain and his colleagues , also found the need for rigorous trials . That sight was give online to 53 parents of children who have infantile spasms or Lennox - Gastaut syndrome , who had read marijuana excerpt moderate CBD .
The research worker found that 92 percent of parent said their children had fewer seizures after taking CBD , and 13 percent said their child was capture - free . The kids had tried eight medications , on average , and had not been helped . The parent also enjoin the drug helped their children sleep , and increase alertness and mood .
But these results should be taken with a grain of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks , Hussain say .
" This is generally a jolly dire chemical group of patients and parent , and I intend they are highly invested in the feeling and the Leslie Townes Hope that these cannabis extracts are truly effective , " he said .
Several clinical trial on marihuana ' effect on puerility epilepsy are slated to begin in early 2015 , Hussain said .
Doose Syndrome
Thethird studyis a case report of a family who began afford CBD to their 4 - year - onetime boy with Doose Syndrome , a type of epilepsy that causesclassic shakingas well as jerking muscles during ictus .
The boy had at least 10 capture a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , said Dr. Jeffrey Gold , an adjunct professor of neuroscience at the University of California , San Diego , and a neurologist at Rady Children ’s Hospital - San Diego . When the boy commence CBD , his seizures ab initio got worse . But it turned out the CBD was increase the child ’s blood levels ofvalproic acid , another anti - seizure medicament he was taking .
Doctor straight off reduced the child ’s valproic superman medication , and he continued to take CBD . Within four months , the boy ’s gaining control vanish , which was confirmed with EEGs .
" We do n’t know why that happened , " Au said . " Maybe it was the valproic superman . Maybe it was the cannabinoid . "
MD still ca n’t commend CBD as a discourse for small fry with epilepsy , but Gold encouraged phratry tobe upfront with their doctorsif they choose that path . The drug may interfere with the small fry ’s other medications , and informed Doctor of the Church can monitor the minor ’s response , he said .
next workplace will help oneself doctors determine whether marihuana is a useful drug , experts said .
" We lack safety data in children , and there should be cautiously done safe and efficacy subject on any drug give to children , " said Dr. Orrin Devinsky , the director of the New York University Epilepsy Center , who was not involved with any of the studies . " We urgently need this data . "
He continued , " There is a naturalistic false belief in which hoi polloi believe that natural thing are safe . There are many poisons in plants as well as animate being . Some are very natural and very lethal . These studies are a call for more carefully plan study . "
