The Unexpected Healer: Medical Cannabis in Pediatric Therapy
One Mom’s Bold Choice Changed Her Son’s Life
Dr. C: This is the story of a mother who, despite her initial fears, found the courage to explore medical cannabis for her son, who struggled with emotional storms, sleepless nights, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. With zero support from their healthcare providers, she felt isolated and uncertain, yet desperate for a way to help her suffering child. A year after joining CED Clinic’s cannabis program, her doubts have flipped to gratitude. In this candid, unedited, interview, she opens up about the profound transformation in her son’s life—a transformation that has brought their family a sense of peace and relief they once thought was out of reach. This Q&A is a testament to their journey, the remarkable changes in her son, and the hope they’ve reclaimed as a family.
Her story, and hundreds of others, is simply amazing!
Dr C: When you first considered Medical Cannabis for your son, what were your initial thoughts and concerns about the pediatric program? How do these compare to your experience now that you’ve been a part of it for a year?
We were initially very hesitant to consider Medical Cannabis. There is still a heavy stigma attached and it.
It can be very difficult to find objective information. Many healthcare providers are unfamiliar with and untrained in Medical Cannabis and the information you can find online is often heavily partisan either for or against.
After being part of the program for a year I am glad that we were able to get past our initial hesitancy with the help of unprejudiced information and supportive doctors who helped us to make informed decisions.
Being part of the program has been very beneficial to our son and our family. It takes time to find the right product and/or dosage but it has given us new hope that our son can lead a happy and full life.
Dr C: What kind of feedback or reactions have you received from your son’s other healthcare providers about his participation in the medical cannabis program?
When we were beginning to consider medical cannabis for our son who has ASD as well as ADHD we first spoke to his pediatrician. We were hoping for help addressing his social and communication difficulties as well as sleep and behavioral concerns including self injury. His pediatrician had no knowledge of Medical Cannabis and while she didn’t completely discourage us from looking into it she made it clear she was not in favor of it. She referred us to the behavioral health specialist at the practice who quickly dismissed the idea. She instead prescribed a traditional medication to address his ADHD symptoms. The medication, for a variety of reasons, was unsuccessful.
Meanwhile our son’s behavioral challenges, especially his self injury were getting more severe. We were losing hope that anything could help. We decided to research Medical Cannabis and figure out for ourselves if this was a viable option for our son.
When we informed our son’s pediatrician that our son is now a pediatric Medical Cannabis patient she surprisingly did not object, she just merely stated ‘He’s my first one’. Dr. Caplan provided a letter stating that he was happy to communicate with her to coordinate our son’s care. Our pediatrician reacted a bit flippantly stating that wasn’t necessary.
Dr C: How has cannabis impacted your son’s day-to-day challenges, particularly in managing his Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADD/ADHD, and insomnia?
Our son’s symptoms of ASD and ADHD have become more manageable since starting Medical Cannabis. His ability to get to and stay asleep has greatly improved. There will always be challenges, there is no magic cure, but overall Medical Cannabis has helped improve our son’s quality of life.
Dr C: Before joining the program, what had you heard about the use of cannabis in pediatric care? Has your perspective changed now that you’ve seen its effects firsthand?
We had heard very little about the use of cannabis in pediatric care, and what we did hear was largely negative or ill-informed. I also had a negative view of cannabis in general. Our personal opinions and attitudes regarding cannabis as medicine have evolved after seeing first hand how it has positively impacted our family. Another positive is that our son has experienced minimal side effects, mostly occasional day time drowsiness.
Dr C: Can you share any noticeable changes in your son’s behavior, emotional regulation or self-injury tendencies since starting cannabis treatment?
He is better able to regulate his emotions which has led to better impulse control and a decrease in self injury. He gets frustrated and irritated less easily, especially with his peers and younger sibling.
Dr C: What aspects of your son’s cannabis regimen have you found most effective in addressing his language difficulties and behavior- related challenges?
With Medical Cannabis our son has been better able to communicate, especially expressively which has resulted in much less frustration related behaviors. It has really seemed to have decreased his anxiety, which we feel is an underlying cause for many of his behavioral challenges.
Dr C: As a parent, what advice would you give others considering cannabis as a treatment option for their children with similar conditions?
My advice to parents would be to research and educate yourself on Medical Cannabis as much as you can to help decide if this treatment is right for your child. A wonderful resource I found is WPA4A.org (Whole Plant Access for Autism). They also have a Facebook group which has some invaluable information for parents and also connects you to other parents in similar situations.
What’s life like for families with a child on The Spectrum?
Few can truly understand the immense challenges these families face. While many children with ASD seem like any other, some struggle deeply with everyday tasks—emotional sensitivity, physical challenges, and a need for rigid routines. In the most heart-wrenching cases, children, overwhelmed by their inability to communicate, may resort to self-harm or intense outbursts that can damage property or harm loved ones. A trip to the grocery store, the bumps of a car ride, or even the slightest disruption in routine can trigger these reactions. Some children bolt unexpectedly, leaving parents in constant fear. For the most severe cases, parents often feel like prisoners in their own homes, enduring sleepless nights and relentless stress. Though behavioral supports exist, they often involve medications that sedate, stripping these children of the energy and personality that make them who they are.
Amid these challenges, some parents turn to guided cannabis as a safe alternative—often as a last resort. In my experience, as seen in this first example, many parents only wish they had considered cannabis sooner.
If you or someone you know wants to learn more, please share: help@CEDclinic.com
To spare everyone too many emails, I only email a selection. You can always check out DoctorApprovedCannabis.Substack.com or grab the free Substack App
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