Sophia was born a healthy baby at 7 lbs, 13 oz. It wasn’t until the age of 4 that anything unusual happened. One spring afternoon, when she was eating lunch, she had a seizure, falling backwards on the ground, and began shaking on the floor for about 20 seconds. We were a little confused with what had just happened, but immediately called 911 for an ambulance to take her to the hospital for evaluation. After the shaking, she threw up and then slept for 1.5 hours. When she woke up, she had no idea what had happened, was confused with why she was in the hospital, and thought it was the following morning.
Meet Sophia; She’s happy to have CBD in her life!
What Are Seizures?
Seizures occur when a burst of electrical activity surges throughout the brain and between brain cells. They are uncontrolled and cause temporary abnormalities in muscle movement and awareness.
Sophia had a few more seizures after that day, about 3 or 4. They occurred more frequently and closer together. She had several tests done to check for brain tumors or other things that could be the cause, but (thankfully) everything came back normal. The doctors didn’t have many answers, which quickly turned into feelings of helplessness and anxiety.
Our doctor recommended that Sophia be put on medication, Levetiracetam, 2 times a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, which seemed to help the seizures, but had unforeseen side effects. The medication made her moody and irritable, causing screaming, tantrums, and lots of tears. The behavior took place anywhere and everywhere; at the grocery store, at the park, in the car, at grandma’s house, wherever.
We knew something had to change, and not just because of the behavior, but most importantly, for the well being of our daughter. This type of behavior was difficult to be around, yes, but even more concerning was what it was doing to our daughter’s heart, mind, and body. We began to look elsewhere, as our doctor couldn’t really give us the answers or solutions we were looking for (and he is a great doctor). We had heard that cannabis was helpful with treating seizures, and had suitable knowledge about the
benefits of CBD and THC, yet were unsure of how effective it would be at treating our daughter’s seizures.
How CBD Can Help
CBD is a type of cannabinoid. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds naturally found in the cannabis plant. Once consumed, they bind to receptors in our endocannabinoid system to help regulate any problems and keep our bodies working properly. While the plant contains over one-hundred different cannabinoids, the two most common are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Many people have heard of THC, but it wasn’t until recently that CBD was brought into the spotlight, thanks to all of the medicinal benefits it brings to the table.
CBD is the non-psychoactive component that also helps to relieve symptoms. It’s often said that it’s not what you feel from CBD, but what you don’t feel. Most people won’t feel anything after taking CBD, but will notice change in their bodies; for example, they will notice a lack of anxiety or a lack of pain. When sourcing a CBD oil to try, it’s recommended you find one of quality, researching how the oil was made and the percentage of cannabinoids included.
CBD is used to help treat:
- Inflammation
- Seizures
- Preventing the spread of cancer
- Promoting bone growth
- Slowing bacterial growth
- Treating psoriasis
- Helping to regulate blood sugar levels
After some time had passed, and 1 or 2 more seizures had occurred, we picked up a bottle of CBD oil at the store. After trying it for a few weeks, it seemed ineffective. Sophia would twitch a lot, not going into a seizure, but clearly not behaving normally for a few seconds. A friend of the family recommended sourcing a CBD oil from somewhere else, a friend of ours named Lana, who happened to be a CBD oil representative. This different CBD oil was organically produced, grown under the sun (full spectrum), and cold pressed.
We also sought out advice from Lana, who had valuable information that helped ease our anxiety. She told us that several of her clients used CBD to help control seizures in their children and that doctors didn’t really have many solutions for controlling seizures except with harsh pharmaceuticals, which never truly helped heal the condition, as they kept gradually increasing the dose as a child increased in weight, creating an endless and exhausting cycle of worry. Several of the other children that took CBD oil experienced either less seizures or were completely seizure-free for several years in a row.
That news brought so much hope to us.
We learned that seizures can also occur in children from the following:
- Too much sugar
- Not enough sleep
- Low blood sugar
- Too much screen time
- Sensitivity to lights (fluorescents), sounds, and head-jumbling contraptions like trampolines and roller coasters
- Pressure and temperature fluctuations from weather like lightning storms and extremely hot summer days
- Nearby military missile launches
So in combination with the CBD oil, our daughter was closely watched, encouraged to take daily naps, eat healthy foods, and lower her consumption of sugar and screens.
Sophia started off by taking 1ml of the doctor’s prescription (her highest dosing) with 3 drops of CBD oil. As the doctor’s medicine was gradually decreased in quantity, the CBD was gradually increased. Each time we slightly lowered the medication, which would happen about every other week, we would give 1 additional drop of CBD oil. She was given medicine 2 times per day. When the medication had been lowered by half, the medication was increased slightly for about 3-4 weeks as advised by a holistic certified doctor. Then, it was continually decreased until only the CBD oil was being given.
The first dose of CBD was given on April 28th with the last doctor’s medication given on October 12th. By the end of those 6 months, our daughter was taking 8 drops of CBD 2x per day (16 drops per day). Then, after 1-2 weeks, we switched to 5 drops of CBD 3x per day. As the prescription medicine was lowered, our daughter became much happier and less moody. The entire household was finally feeling something we hadn’t for some time – contentment.
After several months of a seizure-free daughter and a much happier household, we are believers that CBD is helping to naturally heal our sweet Sophia. CBD is still being researched and does not work for everyone, but for some, it is life-saving and life-changing. Our family is so grateful for this medicine and wants other parents that experience seizures with their child to know that it may be a great option for them, too.
Sophia now takes 5 drops of CBD oil 2x per day, once as soon as she wakes up in the morning and once at 7:30 at night. The end goal is to eventually have our daughter weaned from CBD oil, to be medicine and seizure-free; but for now, CBD has proven to be highly effective and has helped restore peace in Sophia’s little body and within our home.
And that means the world to us.
Want To Know More?
If you have any questions about the above information, feel free to contact us. If you have any questions about Global CBD, please contact Lana Papke at 808-635-8090 or lanapapke@hotmail.com
*Because CBD is still being researched and studied, medical professionals can’t advise much when it comes to treating medical conditions with CBD oil. It’s recommended that you do your own research, and seek advice from reputable and knowledgeable sources.
