How CBD Transformed the Life of a Young Boy with Epilepsy: A Heartwarming Success Story
Author: Eva Keller
Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder characterized by recurring and unpredictable epileptic seizures. The question many ask is whether CBD can be effective in treating epilepsy. In this real-life testimonial, we delve into the story of a young boy with epilepsy and explore how switching to CBD impacted his life.
How It All Started
My girlfriend hails from Mozambique, a poor African country. Although she now lives and works in Europe, she maintains close contact with her family. Her 10-year-old brother, Malik, has epilepsy. As a five-month-old, Malik experienced epileptic seizures, manifesting as severe tremors, almost as if he were receiving electric shocks. Doctors discovered that Malik even had seizures in his sleep. They prescribed Sodium Valproate syrup, 100 ml in the morning and 100 ml in the evening, which prevented extremely strong seizures but did not eliminate weaker ones. Later, Malik was diagnosed with West's syndrome. Today, Malik is totally dependent on his mother’s care, and likely will be for life. In his family, Malik is not referred to with terms like "mental retardation" or "disability"; instead, they consider him a ‘special kid.’
The Introduction of CBD
I've always been passively interested in the health benefits of hemp, but I never had a reason to research it deeply until I met my girlfriend. After learning about the positive effects of CBD on epilepsy and hearing stories of people who managed to reduce or even eliminate their reliance on conventional medications, I suggested the idea of trying CBD to Malik’s mom. She agreed it was worth a shot. For Christmas 2019, we traveled to Mozambique with a few bottles of 5% CBD hemp oil. Mr. Cermak provided us with detailed instructions on its use. Unfortunately, we didn't bring additional CBD products like teas, as we were unsure of Mozambique’s legal stance on hemp products and didn’t want to risk bringing dried hemp.
A Year of CBD Use
We began administering 5% CBD in February 2020, starting with 1 drop under the tongue in the morning and 1 in the evening. After four days, the dosage increased to 2 drops, and after two more days, to 3 drops, where it remained for a full week. Simultaneously, we reduced the syrup dosage to 80 ml. Malik’s condition remained stable, so we continued gradually reducing the syrup by 10 ml every 1 to 2 weeks, while maintaining the CBD dosage. At 50 ml of syrup, Malik’s mom paused the reduction out of concern about running out of CBD oil and needing to revert to the full syrup dose.
By July 2020, Malik’s mom noticed changes in his behavior—he began to speak more and respond better to his surroundings, using words and phrases he had never used before. His vocabulary expanded, and he started answering questions and responding to stimuli. We quickly shipped additional CBD supplies to Mozambique, this time opting for 10% CBD oil to reduce the number of drops required.
Progress and Improvements
By January 2021, the syrup dosage had decreased to 30 ml, with 10% CBD oil dosed at 2 drops in the morning and 2 in the evening. Malik experienced only two mild seizures, each lasting about five minutes, compared to the more frequent and longer seizures he had in the past. The improvement in his brain activity and responsiveness was remarkable. His vocabulary expanded significantly, and he became more interactive, even learning to sing along to tunes with my girlfriend.
What's His Life Like Now?
In summary, Malik’s life has improved significantly. While he may never be a typical child, his reactions to his environment have increased dramatically. His mom sometimes jokes that he talks so much now she might have to start giving him syrup again just to get some peace!
In a more controlled environment, a complete switch to CBD could have been achieved more quickly. Malik’s mom is cautious for two main reasons:
- Reliable CBD Supply: They are testing the reliability of CBD supply from South Africa in case the European supply runs out.
- Medical Consultation: She wants to consult a doctor before completely withdrawing the medication, not for approval—CBD’s benefits are evident—but to manage the bureaucracy and prevent any potential issues with reintroducing the medication if ever needed.
This is the story of a young boy with epilepsy whose life has been transformed by CBD. After this experience, I wholeheartedly recommend CBD wherever I can. My grandmother is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s, and I’m hopeful that CBD could benefit her as well, even if only as a supplement.
Have a wonderful day,
Tomas