Medical Cannabis Update-Week One
I promised I would give a weekly update on our journey with medical cannabis for our severely autistic son. We are 9 days in!
In Minnesota, medical cannabis was legalized for autism in July 2019. The program is regulated by the state of Minnesota. You can read more HERE about how we got started.
After getting a prescription from his doctor and jumping through all the hoops, we started him on the lowest dose possible. Our dispensary offers three blends of medical cannabis. Think of it as three strengths. We started with the lowest.
Cooper’s initial dose was 1 ML twice a day. After 4 days of seeing no improvements, we increased his dose to 2 ML’s twice a day. Soon, we will increase to three.
I will also make a follow up appointment with the pharmacist for later this week to transition Cooper to the next blend.
Our goal with medical cannabis has always been to reduce his extreme anxiety, help him be calm, calm his brain and body, and help him to sit and be present in the world around him.
We’ve seen three great breakthroughs/improvements since we started 9 days ago, but much like everything with autism…we don’t know if it’s from the cannabis or from his typical development.
- On Saturday morning we had six kids playing in our upstairs and watching a movie. It was loud. Very loud. Traditionally, Cooper would ALWAYS avoid this level of chaos. He doesn’t really acknowledge kids and never wants to join them. This occasion was very different. He wanted to be up there with them the whole time. It was almost like he was drawn to them. He even went back after he got a snack!
- Cooper spent a few hours on Sunday evening with his Grandparents. When I picked the boys up, his Grandpa was overjoyed with the changes he saw in Cooper. He said that Cooper attempted to ride a Tricycle and even pedaled for the FIRST TIME EVER. Grandpa has been working with Cooper on this for years. Cooper also sat with Grandpa at the computer and engaged for an hour. This is the first time this has ever happened. It was amazing to see and hear how excited he was about it.
- On Monday morning, Sawyer and I were talking about driving to the gas station. Typically, Cooper would never pay attention to us. He doesn’t like to leave the house and NEVER asks to go to a store. This time was different! He told us he wanted to go (via his speech device) and even asked for a doughnut. Which he never eats. He even ran upstairs and grabbed his socks. I was shocked. He really struggled with anxiety in the store but that’s okay. Baby steps.
Like I said above, I don’t know if this is his typical development or the cannabis or a combination of both. We have to wait and see. These are three huge breakthroughs though!
Take a listen. I also answer a few questions that I keep receiving from followers.
Stay tuned for next week’s update!
https://www.facebook.com/findingcoopersvoice/videos/710177465981985/
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I love following your journey. There is hope that I can learn from others to help my son
I’ve never posted a comment before but by reading your blog, it has helped me understand more of when my friends with kids on the spectrum describe their lives to me. I get it, or at least as much as an “outsider” can.
This topic of medical cannabis is sore spot with me. There is absolutely no reason why it should not be legal throughout the country. It can help so much for so many people. Please keep up the fight.
I love the “keeping it realistic” comment. We’ve been using medical cannabis for our 7 year old for a little over 3 years now and people are always asking about the success we’ve had with it. I find myself frequently reminding people that it’s NOT a miracle cure. At least not for us. Yes, it eliminated his violent outbursts and self-injurious behaviors. It’s decreased stimming and squealing and it’s increased speech and has helped him tremendously at school and it’s been a life changer. But did it happen overnight? Some of it, like the self-injury and aggression with the correct dose, yes. But the other stuff – the important stuff like life skills and speech… medical cannabis allows our son to be more in control of his body and mind. It allows him to be able to focus better in multiple therapy settings and I believe THAT is where we have built a solid foundation to slowly build those skills that, looking back, I can’t believe we’ve been able to achieve.
I’m sure you’ve already heard about i, but I HIGHLY suggest visiting Whole Plant Access for Autism on facebook and their website at https://wpa4a.org. Being able to talk to hundreds of other families who have been in the medical cannabis community for multiple years now how have children on the spectrum is such a breath of fresh air. And being able to share what strains work, what to stay away from, dosing specifically for autism, etc. in a neutral, educational, and learning not only about CBD & THC, but the other cannabinoids like CBG, THCa, CBG, CBN, etc. is fascinating.
Keep up the good work. Cooper is amazing and you’re doing an incredible job advocating for him!
Just to inform you, when I click on any of the “read more” for any of the comments made on any of your articles, the comment does not extend. It simply takes me to the top of the page.
Thank you for sharing your journey.
I also have a son with severe autism
& “ technically” non- verbal. We use CBD for my daughters anxiety.