Health & Medicine
5-Year-Old Receives Medical Marijuana to Treat Seizures [VIDEO]
Benita Matilda
First Posted: Aug 30, 2013 09:11 AM EDT
A 5-year-old Arizona boy born with a genetic defect may receive 'medical marijauana' for treatment.
The family of Zander Welton from Mesa, Arizona, plan on using medical marijuana to treat their son who suffers from severe seizures caused due to a genetic defect in the brain called cortical dysplasia that is often linked to epilepsy. The boy, who experiences seizures weekly, had his first seizure when he was nine months old.
Zander's parents, Jennifer and Jacon Welton ,have gone in for several treatments including brain surgery, shock therapy and medication to stop their son's seizures that is combined with autism diagnosis. But unfortunately nothing seems to calm down Zander's condition, reports abcNEWS.
Due to the genetic defect coupled with autism, Zander cannot verbally communicate and squeals and grunts. At times he takes a cup to indicate he is thirsty. Otherwise there are no hand gestures or words coming from Zander.
The Welton family heard how medical marijuana helped disabled children and hopes to cure their son by treating him with medical marijuana. Considering the Arizona law that has strict requirements for patients under 18, the parents hope that their son can be cured with medical marijuana. They have started the process of making Zander a legal cardholder for medical marijuana.
The application requires two doctors to sign off on the treatment and has been finally approved Tuesday. Initially, he will be given Cannabidiol (CBD) oil drops with the help of a syringe. Zander's seizures vary in severity, some are intense and others so light that they can be spotted only by the twitch in his eyes
"I don't want him stoned, I just want him better," said Jennifer, his mother.
But Dr. Steven Wolf, director of Pediatric Epilepsy at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York said, "The parents should be wary of using CBD to treat epilepsy pending further studies." Wolf said that doctors didn't yet know if children would build up a quick tolerance to CBD and it would ultimately prove ineffective in treating seizures.
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First Posted: Aug 30, 2013 09:11 AM EDT
A 5-year-old Arizona boy born with a genetic defect may receive 'medical marijauana' for treatment.
The family of Zander Welton from Mesa, Arizona, plan on using medical marijuana to treat their son who suffers from severe seizures caused due to a genetic defect in the brain called cortical dysplasia that is often linked to epilepsy. The boy, who experiences seizures weekly, had his first seizure when he was nine months old.
Zander's parents, Jennifer and Jacon Welton ,have gone in for several treatments including brain surgery, shock therapy and medication to stop their son's seizures that is combined with autism diagnosis. But unfortunately nothing seems to calm down Zander's condition, reports abcNEWS.
Due to the genetic defect coupled with autism, Zander cannot verbally communicate and squeals and grunts. At times he takes a cup to indicate he is thirsty. Otherwise there are no hand gestures or words coming from Zander.
The Welton family heard how medical marijuana helped disabled children and hopes to cure their son by treating him with medical marijuana. Considering the Arizona law that has strict requirements for patients under 18, the parents hope that their son can be cured with medical marijuana. They have started the process of making Zander a legal cardholder for medical marijuana.
The application requires two doctors to sign off on the treatment and has been finally approved Tuesday. Initially, he will be given Cannabidiol (CBD) oil drops with the help of a syringe. Zander's seizures vary in severity, some are intense and others so light that they can be spotted only by the twitch in his eyes
"I don't want him stoned, I just want him better," said Jennifer, his mother.
But Dr. Steven Wolf, director of Pediatric Epilepsy at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York said, "The parents should be wary of using CBD to treat epilepsy pending further studies." Wolf said that doctors didn't yet know if children would build up a quick tolerance to CBD and it would ultimately prove ineffective in treating seizures.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone