Produced from the cannabis plant, CBD is becoming widely recognised for its medicinal properties in the treatment of a variety of conditions.  Many people will more than raise and eyebrow at the mention of cannabis but because CBD does not contain THC no high can come from using the powerful substance. Despite the lack of THC, many other known benefits of the chemical compound remain, not least its ability to lower stress and reduce anxiety. With this in mind, CBD is showing promise in the treatment of Autism where stress and anxiety in a person are thought to be part of the cause. Research is promising but is in its infancy.

CBD and Autism

Autism is a very challenging condition and can range from mild to severe in people of all ages. Despite millions of dollars spent every year on research into Autism there is no cure for the symptoms of the condition. Not even CBD, despite the many miracle claims, can remove the core autistic symptoms. Neither CBD nor any other drug can address the challenges autism suffers face such as communication, sensory problems and the restricting and often repetitive behaviours that are all common.  However, it is known that many of these challenges are triggered and intensified through stress and anxiety, CBD oil is a powerful treatment in this area. Moreover, CBD oil can reduce many and treat some of the many supplementary disorders faced by autism sufferers that include epileptic fits and sleeplessness on top of the stress and anxiety. Through the use of CBD to control these aspects of autism the disorder is being made less problematic.

Promising Results

Studies into the use of CBD in treating autism are limited and are their early stages, however the limited research is proving to be promising. One of the most comprehensive studies was undertaken in Israel and the results were very positive. Research into CBD for autism has been predominantly focused on children and this was the case in the Israeli study. The research showed that over 80% of the participants in the study reacted positively when taking CBD. Nearly all the children displayed a significant decrease in problematic behaviour, around half demonstrated improved communication and around 40% showed signs of less anxiety. This study is a key study into the use of CBD oil for the treatment of autistic behaviour and circumstantial evidence from those generally using CBD to treat autism is following suit.

CBD and Autism

CBD oil is no cure for autism and nearly all cases of autism are different in the extremes of the disorder. While CBD oil is showing positive traits, it can by no means be considered the fix. For this reason, it is recommended that professional medical advice be sought before taking or giving CBD to treat autism. Despite CBD be natural and safe there may well be other considerations that must be taken note of.