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Mother Uses Marijuana To Treat Child With Autism
“I saved my son’s life, and marijuana saved my son’s life… When a mother hears that her son is knocking on death’s door, you will do anything to save his life,” said Meiko Hester-Perez. Because of his condition he often refused to eat. She decided to make marijuana laced brownies and with in hours of eating them she could see a remarkable difference in her son’s behavior. He started asking for foods he had never eaten before. Her son’s self-injurious behavior also changed as the marijuana calmed his aggressive behavior. Since she has been feeding her son the brownies he has been able to take less drugs for his autism. This novel approach to treating autism is not without controversy. “He is intoxicated. He’s stoned,” said Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a child psychiatrist at the University of Chicago. “It means that he’s under the influence of a drug and may have an addiction. It can cause psychosis, may lead to schizophrenia. [There's] no evidence at all at this time and no reason to prescribe any kind of marijuana for a child with autism.” Given the many challenges involved in raising an autistic child, parents are willing to try a variety of potential remedies, many of which are controversial and unproven. But one potential treatment that has gained attention recently is one that was controversial well before its first mention in connection with autism.
“At first I did some research, and I found a doctor who actually had a protocol for medical marijuana in children diagnosed with autism,” Mieko Hester-Perez of Fountain Valley, Calif., told “Good Morning America.”
Hester-Perez made her decision to try giving her 10-year-old son, Joey Perez, medical marijuana after his weight had become dangerously low due to his unwillingness to eat. She said that at the time she began the approach, he weighed only 46 pounds.
“You could see the bones in his chest. He was going to die,” she said.
“The marijuana balanced my son,” said Hester-Perez, noting that she has never used marijuana herself. “My son had self-injurious behaviors. He was extremely aggressive, he would run out of our house… he was a danger to himself and others.”
But just hours after she gave him one of the pot-infused brownies, she said she could see a change — both in his appetite and demeanor.
“Within hours, he requested foods we had never seen him eat before,” said Hester-Perez.
She added that her son used to take a cocktail of medications, three times every day, for his condition. He now takes only three, and he has a marijuana brownie once every two or three days. He still cannot communicate verbally.
“I saved my son’s life, and marijuana saved my son’s life… When a mother hears that her son is knocking on death’s door, you will do anything to save his life,” said Hester-Perez.
Allen St. Pierre, executive director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said that marijuana for children is something that draws concern even from parents within his advocacy organization.
“While there have been some people within NORML’s ranks who remain put off by this, I think speaks to just how fearful some are [of marijuana],” he said.
And this reaction remains out of proportion to the possible risks from the drug, he said, noting that, just as some children are given doses of medical marijuana in more regulated settings, children can be given controlled doses of strong drugs such as amphetamines or opioids without drawing as much opposition.
“They probably wouldn’t raise an eyebrow,” St. Pierre said of parents’ responses, “but because reefer madness has been so profound in the United States, that’s one of the only things that makes it notable.”
But some opposition to this type of treatment is medical concern.
“He is intoxicated. He’s stoned,” said Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a child psychiatrist at the University of Chicago. “It means that he’s under the influence of a drug and may have an addiction. It can cause psychosis, may lead to schizophrenia. [There's] no evidence at all at this time and no reason to prescribe any kind of marijuana for a child with autism.”
If Sharon Hirsch is such a great doctor you’d think she’d know marijuana is not addictive. Typical double standard, pump the kid with with addictive pills and that’s okay, but not a non-addictive natural medicinal plant with no harmful side effects!
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Marie Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Exactly right Michael Ford! Pharmaceutical drugs are far more addictive with dangerous side effects than natural plants, like marijuana that have medicinal effects on the body. I think this woman was wise and very smart to do this. These Autistic kids suffer so much mentally and have no control of themselves. It is very difficult to watch, when you know this is all due to toxic inoculation, and the toxic burden we all have to bare today. Mercury in the brain will make you do thing that one can never understand unless they have lived it!
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lura Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 7:15 pm
As a former therapist working many years with
people with drug and alcohol problems, I can
tell you that the use of marijuana is emotionally addictive and has many other detremental side effects that cause users
to be extremely dysfunctional. Its effects on the brain and the bodies chemistry is not beneficial. In Texas the number of car
accidents caused by this natural plant is much higher than accidents caused by alcohol.
Arsenic is also from a natural plant and I would not recommend its use. However the
most affective therapies I find are with
homeopathy. I can quarantee that it is just temporarily masking the symtoms that her son is having. The child will have a fragmented mind if he continues to use it.
Better alternatives exist.
God Bless Lura Ann
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UrpGag Reply:
December 11th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
how much science do you intend to ignore? will you be as R Nixon and ignore your own science panel when they tell you outright that there is no addiction, no schizophrinea? on and on, you have filtered the science for your politics. Science from Dr Melanie Dreher, dean of the Iowa nursing college here, Proves cannabis doesn’t hurt the unborn in heavy cannabis smoking mommies. But,you will ignore that, too, right? go look her up, you are a tool and have been dis informed by the nazis in our government.
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“He is intoxicated. He’s stoned,” said Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a child psychiatrist at the University of Chicago. “It means that he’s under the influence of a drug and may have an addiction. It can cause psychosis, may lead to schizophrenia. [There's] no evidence at all at this time and no reason to prescribe any kind of marijuana for a child with autism.”
Sounds like Dr. Hirsch has the typical “scientist or scientific” attitude that is keeping a lot of cures and treatments out of patients hands. That and she probably talked with an attorney before answering the question or making her statement.
I think this mother is a genius.
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I think this is great. More research needs to be done with marijuana. A very valuable healing plant. I bet Dr. Sharon Hirsch has prescribed or approved of many harmful psychotic drugs to children without even batting an eyelash. What do they think these kids taking prescriptions arent addicted & battling side effects already? What a joke. Marijuana is a herb with many healing properties. Cancer patients have been helped by injesting “pot” to increase appetite, so they don’t waste away from chemo & radiation. Hester-Perez is on the right path with her son & his autism.
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Cheryl Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I think this parent is on the right path. Dr. Hirsch probably doesn’t like the path that this parent has taken for two reasons; first, the parent toook control of her child’s illness instead of only listening to a doctor, and second, when someone opts for a more natural path to healing, doctors and pharmaceutical companies can not make a profit by prescribing legal, over-priced, toxic, psychotropic drugs that leave people addicted and dependent on these drugs for the rest of their lives. This is the only reason cannabis hasn’t been widely studied and used in more medical applications.
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Joanne Burgett Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 11:21 am
I agree with Dr. Heather S. completely. Doctors give out harmful drugs all the time that have serious side effects for the body and many can affect the mind also. Why not look at the possibilities of marijuana as it obviously has helped this child to some degree and may have saved his life! Good for this mother that she took matters into her own hands and hopefully she will look for other more natural alternatives to help her child.
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As with any herb with psychoactive components, cannabis had up- and downsides. The downsides have been well publicized, including psychological disorders and strain on the liver with extended use.
But cannabis also has a long history as a medicinal herb, especially in the traditional materia medica of Ayurveda. In this context, marijuana was not smoked or used by itself, but was used in quite small amounts in combination with other herbs and components that make use of its positive effects (soporific, carminative, digestive stimulant, class B antibiotic, etc.) and balance or negate the toxic side-effects. This is very different from concentrating the weed, or worse, “isolating the active ingredient.” No such Ayurvedic herbal mix would get one stoned at any dosage.
The irrational fear of cannabis has long stood in the way of a sober assessment of its “intelligent” components and their potential uses for any number of afflictions. We should use this case history not as an opportunity to rail against abuse, Dr. Hirsch, but as a wake-up call to see how we might better use the intelligence of the herbal kingdom to help restore balance to afflicted souls in a natural way.
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Dear Meiko, mother of autistic Joey: What a dilemma you faced! Medically-prescribed drugs for autism can damage brain cells. And your son already has damaged brain cells (his autism). And marijuana can damage brain cells. Autism can be helped with detoxification (to get out the things harming the body and brain) and infusion with the specific nutrients that are deficient. Marijuana can be a doorway to better nutrition, as you have found. The best long term doorway to better nutrition is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It is slow and it helps to revive the brain cells rather than damaging them more. Meanwhile the child has to eat! And receive specific detoxification! Marijuana is not the right path long term, as you know. Where is the drug that will increase appetite right away and not harm brain cells!? Love and Blessings, Doc Meek, November 29, 2009
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I am surprised that such a qualified person as Dr. Hirsch such would make such a remark. It must be taken out of context and placed for editorial contention.
I am sure that as a concern professional she places the concerns of both the parent and child at the forefront of her practice.
While it maybe an issue of concern that this “case” involves the use of an herb which is considered to be illegal. Surely the reported outcome is worthy of further rational investigation?
No one is as this point suggesting that all children with such issues be given the herb,
I have often wondered at the sense of making this herb illegal; as a suitably qualified Doctor in right circumstances may prescribe opiates. Why then would they (the profession) not wish to have to have access to an herb which may have benefit in certain circumstances?
Surely it is time to review the overall approach to the use of this herb in treatment as PRESCRIBED Psychotropic drugs kill 2.5 times more people than die in Auto accidents in the USA alone.
Aside from the fact that it is 208 billion dollar industry and that if benefit were to be derived it may at stroke reduced deaths and dramatically reduce costs?
It simply makes sense for professionals to have to hand the right tools for the job despite social and industrial pressures.
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Karin Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I would rather the Big Pharma people not get into supplying marijuana because they will denature it or isolate the ingredient which will not work as well. And surely one brownie every two to three days is not enough to be a problem.
Also of use for the child would be lots of Omega 3’s for the brain and acidophilus, protein, B vitamins. Avoid all refined sugars and white flour, sodas, caffeine, food coloring, preservatives, toxic cleaners and laundry cleaning products. Shaklee products would be ideal for this.
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I would withhold judgment on the matter until the evidence is in.
She did this responsibly. She found a medical protocol and followed it. Steps were taken to be sure that the child was in an appropriate situation in which to risk it. Marijuana did two things that she needed for her son at once, it calmed him and it encouraged him to eat.
The article didn’t say, did this Dr. Hirsch examine the child or his medical evidence or is she just off the cuff here? And why is her quote repeated in this article? Does that make it more credible somehow? Not with me.
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zimi Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Too hell with the evidence! By the time that happens, we’ll all be dead. Some “evidence” will leak through when independent scientists do studies but generally we won’t see much because there is no money in marijuana when it is legalized and it is not patentable by money-mongers like the drug companies.
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Did the good Dr. read the side effects of the drugs she advocates? It sounds like she has a greater commitment to drugs than she has for the improvement of her patients conditions.
Chinese medicine has been using marajuana in herbal remedies for thousands of years. Probably there is thorough scientific evidence available to substanciate its use.
Remember your biochemistry Dr. Hirsch and open your mind!
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Terri Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 1:02 pm
My sentiments exactly! Properly prescribed prescription medications kill an unbelievable number of people annually and that does not include the statistics on life altering side effects or addictions of the same.
I am neither pro nor con regarding marijuana but given the choice between marijuana and a host of other ‘approved’ drugs I would likely choose marijuana.
Bottom line…take a proactive stance on one’s own health care…Go Blue!
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My shrink always told me that schizophrenia was inhereted, genetic. Now the American Psychiatric Association can’t have it both ways: either it is genetic or marihuana causes it. Which is it, Doctor?
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My shrink always told me that schizophrenia was inhereted, genetic. Now the American Psychiatric Association can’t have it both ways: either it is genetic or marihuana causes it. Which is it, Doctor?
For some reason this site will not accept my E-mail address, though it is correct. I had to use a different one.
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“He’s stoned.” He says. What about all those drugs docs love to put kids on to control their behavior. They liken Ritalin to “kiddie coke”. Don’t you think THESE poor kids are walking around “stoned” and “addicted” 24/7? What an idiot. Better to be stoned than dead.
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Hat’s off to you mom. Next thing you might want to try is giving your son some hemp oil. Not hemp seed oil but hemp oil. It is the oil extracted from the plant itself. Check out http://www.phoenixtears.ca. Once again good for you mom. I wouldn’t want to watch my son die right in front of my eyes either.
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“He is intoxicated. He’s stoned,” said Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a child psychiatrist at the University of Chicago. “It means that he’s under the influence of a drug and may have an addiction. It can cause psychosis, may lead to schizophrenia. [There's] no evidence at all at this time and no reason to prescribe any kind of marijuana for a child with autism.”
Is this typical Psychiatrist mentality ? Surely everyone knows that all prescribed drugs are toxic to the human body, that is why they are FDA approved and establishing toxicity is part of the approval process. What about all the “may have” and “may lead”, you mean you have no idea so you’re just speculating… what about the “no evidence”, it seems that this mother just gave you evidence, but because the government doesn’t own it or approve it then you are ignoring it. I fully support this mother and encourage her to ignore all the brainwashing that goes on about drugs, how about ‘if it works, do it’ and be thankful for it saving a child’s life
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zimi Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 12:51 pm
All psychiatrists, doctors and medical people are trained by drug companies to use nothing but drugs, the more the better. Talk about evidence …it has been proven over and over again how awful these drugs are but they keep using them! These drugs are making people into murderers! The woman who drowned all of her 5 children was on psychiatric drugs. The man in Canada who cut of a person’s head on the bus was on psychiatric drugs. The students in Columbine and other mass killings were on psychiatric drugs. And those are ones we know about. Many just quietly commit suicide while on these drugs.
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This child psychiatrist response is laughable. When you consider that so many of the medications being prescribed for say, ADD children are soooo powerful and alter a childs chemistry to sedate and alter as well. Isn’t this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?
I don’t smoke pot nor do I even like pot, but it is a known fact that so many of the psychopharmacological medications being prescribed Have so many known and unknown toxic and harmful side effects.
Her comments …………RICIDULOUS!!
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There is so much about marijuana we don’t know because of the way the government has handled this herb.
Yes, it’s a herb …not a drug. A God-given herb but the government has made itself bigger than God and has decided we shouldn’t have it. I think we will be very surprised as we discover all the ailments that mj will help.
No, marijuana should not be smoked. It should be ingested as a herb in fresh or powdered form or as a tea when needed. Just as you can overdo ANYTHING, even water, you can overdo any herb. Let your body tell you how much it needs and be sure to listen to the signs coming from you body.
I am so pleased to hear about this woman’s success with medical mj and telling us about it. God bless her. An interesting thing about the so-called medical marijuana is that it is a weakened or less potent type of plant than those used to for street marijuana. Imagine how the street variety might help with some physical and mental illnesses.
It makes me sick how the government is ruled by corrupt big corporations to keep everything good away from us. I don’t need the government to protect me. They are protecting me from the very thing I need, which is natural products of all kinds.
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As a mother of an autistic child who has suffered with self injurious behaviors for over 18 years, this is a serious disorder that is rooted in so many factors, there is no way marijuana is going to be the golden answer after eating it in brownies. I can’t stand when people take an issue as complex as sib and try to convince people it’s a simple as eating pot brownies. The kid’s self injury probably consisted of a few slaps to the leg…try dealing with autistics who smash fists into head, bang heads into sidewalks, etc….I’m not saying marijuana isn’t something that should be considered, because only an idiot wouldn’t point out that antipsychotics, benzos, axiolytics, and misc. central nervous system drugs prescribed by doctors, also are addictive. What I’m tired of healing are quick fixes based on one mom’s experience…I say do a long term study of this kid and if it helps then clap for pot brownies….as a possible treatment for sib….check out you tube autism and self injury to see sib in a complex case
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Dr. Sharon Hirsch can kiss off (and I am putting that politely)
Medical doctors prescribe so many BS medications to kids, then they take stances like this against a perfectly natural option.
I am not pro getting children stoned or creating addiction at any level, but if you want to really look at who is creating addiction to drugs, look no further than the medical and pharmaceutical companies that have monopolized our current world.
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So let me get this straight… he was 10 years old and only 46lbs, on the verge of dying, now he ain’t. He was aggressive and self destructive, a danger to himself and others, and now he ain’t. He wouldn’t eat and now he does. He was on a “coctail” of drugs(which did not seem to be working) and now he ain’t. And he was autistic and… he still is. So what do you guys want? Does he have to be able to start quoting Shakespear and win a gold Olympic medal to make it worthwhile to relieve him of his suffering? Or can’t improvement of his quality of life be enough for you?
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Doctors support themselves and drug stores. If they don’t sell it there, they won’t prescribe it. Some of them believe that flue shots are good for you. Flue shots in most people cause them to have allergies shortly later on in life. Dummy me, went and got a flue shot less than a year ago, and now I’am allergic to seeds, peanuts of all kinds, beef of all things, sugar and mold, plus others. Think about it, is your body better of defending itself for a couple of days or so, or are you better off suffering the rest of your life with allergies only to support your local drug store. The shelves at these locations for allergies are only growing bigger and bigger.
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OK, yah sure. The kid is very likely “stoned”, and so, “intoxicated” according to accepted legal definition. But the fact remains that this Natural substance got the boy to Eat.
Big Pharma doesn’t care about the results or the doctor’s moderated application of this Natural substance that has done what INTOXI
CATING prescription drugs could not.
This is Not about medical malpractice, or child abuse, or even opening the door to psychotic behavior. This is ALL about Big Pharma pushing it’s weight around because it knows it can’t make a dime from it.
I appreciate you,
Bill Tessore
http://BillTessore.com
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Wow.
I have a 10yr old son labled ASD/Asperger’s, ODD, ADHD, PTSD. He takes several medications throughout his day, and evening (or he doesn’t sleep). He’s very smart (gifted) but lately very aggressive, self injurious, hiting, kicking, teachers/staff, etc. I have to feed him BEFORE his a.m. med’s or he won’t eat, same with lunch. He was losing weight before I figured this out. Unless you’ve been here, you have no idea.
I hate the drugs my son is on. But insurance only pays for FDA drugs!! I buy all my sons supplements, herbs, (melatonin,5htp,fish oil,special foods high in protein, non-milk)myself. try to hold on to a job while his school calls me daily to come get him.
My goal is to get my son off psyco drugs someday…my hat goes off to the mom who saved her sons life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You have to look at the BIG Picture…think with your own brain, do your own research. Read Jenny McCarthy’s books and learn about Autism.
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