For decades it was cast as a harmful gateway drug to a lifestyle of feckless criminality. But the last few months has brought a momentous shift in the official position on cannabis following pressure from families who have used it to treat conditions like epilepsy.
Home secretary Sajid Javid...
When he was just 10 months old, Puerto Rico-based Kalel Santiago was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer. known as neuroblastoma, and spent more than two years undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. When he was 3, Kalel was pronounced cancer-free, however, the joy of winning the painful battle against...
An upcoming study at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will be the first of its kind in the United States to examine the benefits of medical marijuana in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study is in partnership with an Australian biopharmaceutical company called Zelda Therapeutics, who will be funding the study.
An upcoming study at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will be the first of its kind in the United States to examine the benefits of medical marijuana in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study is in partnership with an Australian biopharmaceutical company called Zelda Therapeutics, who will be funding the study.
Israeli researchers have found more compelling evidence that medical cannabis is an effective therapy for children on the autism spectrum. In this soon-to-be-published study in the journal Neurology, researchers treated autistic children with high concentrations of CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant.
Conditions in 80% of the children improved....
Parents of some autistic children report that cannabis eases behavioral problems more effectively than conventional pharmaceuticals. Their anecdotal evidence should be taken seriously by medical researchers.
Autism is one of a group of conditions known as pervasive developmental disorders. This mysterious disability, first described and named more than 60 years ago,...
Having a special needs (SN) child brings with it many of the typical joys of parenting, but let’s not kid ourselves into believing that there aren’t major drawbacks for the parents. As a psychologist and parent of a special needs child of my own, I have detected several negative effects which I’ll describe in detail below.
Parenting can be stressful under the best of circumstances, but moms and dads of children with developmental and mental health challenges often have to deal with strain of a different magnitude. Caring for a child with special needs can become a full-time job — and an overwhelming one at that, if you...
Caravel’s autism health specialists work every day in the homes of families living with autism. They know firsthand how much is required of these parents – who need to bring more than the average amount of strength, perseverance and resourcefulness – day after day.
“The challenge can be daunting,”...
The previous chapter describes universal and widely available interventions designed to strengthen parenting and support parents of young children. This chapter turns to evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions used in a variety of settings (e.g., health care, education, the home) with some evidence of effectiveness in supporting parents and parenting knowledge, attitudes, and...
Many parents of autistic children report that their child received repeated or prolonged courses of antibiotic drugs for ear or other respiratory infections during their first year, before the diagnosis of autism. Broad-spectrum antibiotics kill good as well as bad bacteria in the gut, and this may be why autistic children commonly...