CBD for Child Anger
The popularity of cannabis products booming in the health and wellness industry has led many to treat a variety of physical and mental ailments and disorders with hemp products like CBD. CBD is probably the most popular medicinal component in cannabis, and while it may not be a complete panacea, many people have found success in using it to treat everything including seizures, epilepsy, pain, insomnia, anxiety, ADHD, and even to manage the symptoms for those with autism. Recently, people have turned to CBD to help with child anger. Below, we’ll discuss using CBD for child anger, along with research that is currently investigating its effectiveness and safety.
Safety
Speak with your child’s doctor - Before giving CBD to your child in any form, it is prudent to talk to your child’s physician about it. They may recommend a specific dosage, or provide you with other precautions or tips.
Be aware of medication interactions - if you’re considering giving CBD to your child, make sure they aren’t taking any medications that interact with grapefruit. Much like the chemical compounds in grapefruit, CBD interacts with enzymes needed to metabolize drugs in the body. While CBD oil is unregulated, there are a few measures you can take so you can be more confident that what you are giving your child is totally safe.
CBD Certificate of Analysis (COA) - The most useful tool in assessing whether a CBD product is safe for anyone, is checking the COA on the product. A COA is a document that verifies the product was tested by a third-party lab for its chemical composition. By looking at the COA you can see how much CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids are in the product. Also, you can see what company grows the Cannabis, and do some research on whether or not they are organic. This is important because hemp plants absorb all of the nutrients and contaminants in the soil, so you want to make sure the plants are produced in clean, organic soils.
Some COAs also test for chemical contaminants, so you can look out for contaminants like heavy metals on the label. Others, let you know if the product has THC in it, which is a psychoactive component found in cannabis. Make sure the COA states 0% THC if you don’t want the product you're giving to your child to contain any psychoactive ingredients.
Extraction Method - Propane and butane extraction are two methods you want to steer clear of. This process of extracting chemicals from the plant leave behind toxic residues. Instead, look for Ethanol and CO2 extraction methods, which don’t leave behind any harmful chemicals.
Effectiveness
While CBD shouldn’t be used if your child is angry due to external factors, like not receiving enough attention, it does show potential for helping children with underlying issues of aggression. CBD has been shown to be effective in treating anger, because CBD has an effect on chemicals like cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in the body. A 1993 study called “Effect of cannabidiol on plasma prolactin, growth hormone and cortisol in human volunteers” found that CBD reduces the cortisol stress hormone which can help manage the fight or flight symptoms that are often associated with stress and anger.
Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is often associated with intense anger. A 2001 study, “Effects of cannabinoids on adrenaline release from adrenal medullary cells”, found that CBD reduced levels of adrenaline in the body, which ultimately leads to a decrease in anger and rage.
Recap
CBD seems to have the potential to help children reduce and manage child anger, along with addressing other issues; however, whether or not your child uses CBD oil is totally up to you. CBD is generally considered to be safe; however, the presence of other chemicals that are unsafe to children in CBD products may not not be guaranteed. And, research is still being carried out on CBD.
If you do decide to use CBD oil for your child’s anger, ensure you research the product extensively, review the lab-tested COA, know that it has no chemicals that could potentially harm your child, make sure to check your child isn’t on any medication that could interact with CBD, and check with your child’s doctor beforehand.