Is Kava Safe For Kids?

[chandra]

I'm hoping the Valerian extract will help her, and I can give it to her daily. I may order some KWK concentrate next time I order from them just to try on days or nights when she is having a really bad time. I think Kava in small amounts would probably be safe occassionally, but it isn't something I would be comfortable giving her on a regular basis because we really don't know the affects. It's also a benefits vs. risk thing though. At this point anything with a low risk (nothing is no risk) potential that helps is worth it. Watching her struggle breaks my heart. I feel like all I do all day is run around trying to keep her from having a meltdown. Something needs to give for both of us.

 

[boxcar beatnik]

Daily use if valerian can cause some other health issues if I'm not mistaken. Don't quote me on this but i think liver issues cam develop.

 

[chandra]

The one I ordered is specifically designed for kids. It has Valerian but also Chamomile and a few other things, so the concentration of Valerian shouldn't be too high. I do think you are supposed to take some time off after using it for awhile. Not sure if there is enough in this to warrant that but it is something to keep in mind.

 

[violet]

@chandra Not trying to add more worries to the mama stress you already have, but another consideration to be mindful of is that more often than not methylation and/or absorption issues tend to be part of the array of autistic symptoms. Little ones with health issues also usually have much higher toxic burdens and nutrient imbalances than children with no health issues.

Improper methylation can cause issues with processing supplements, meds, nutrients, food additives, and even food. Metabolizing kava uses the major detox pathways in the liver. Sometimes it is safer to err on the side of caution if we are going to medicate with plants and use gentle treatments that are neuroprotective, provide support to the immune system, and encourage gentle detoxing of the body's systems to decrease the overall burden of what the body is trying to deal with.

Lithium orotate and CBD oil (which has some definite interactions with certain meds) might be a couple things worth looking into if she is having a lot of neuropsych issues. Given her age best to check with a (naturopathic) doctor on the lithium orotate, not sure about giving to one so young. Neuropshych stuff is very frequently caused by some type of toxicity or methylation issue. The two things mentioned have been found helpful with a lot of the symptoms like rage, meltdowns, anxiety, sensory difficulties, etc., but the best thing is teasing out the intricacies of what is causing what and treating accordingly.

Not trying to tell you what to do, and no one knows your child better than you. All any of us want to share with you is what we feel is the safest advice given the information we have regarding the situation

.

 

[chandra]

Thank you Violet. I believe CBD oil is also helpful in treating seizures which is similar in some ways to what she is dealing with. Definetely something for me to look into. The toxic burden thing makes a lot of sense, and makes me think Kava may not be a wise choice for her situation.

 

[boxcar beatnik]

CBD oil is the safest thing to treat seizures and seizure like symptoms in any person regardless of age. Cannabinoids have a ridiculously good track record for safety and lack of drug/good interactions
i like in Texas and i was approved for the treatment of seizures in children (CBD from psychoactive cannabis not help) so that should def give an idea of the safety margins. I work with adults on the autistic spectrum and i have seen that sometimes something as little as the tag in shirt can cause seriously worrisome meltdowns in I the spectrum. I would try to write down everything that's going on when they happen and maybe from looking at our from a bigger picture perspective will be something that can help you with environmental engineering. Any and all stimulation can be overly intense to the degree that someone on a large dose of psychedelics would experince..i hope this post is decipherable i hadn't finished my coffee or had any grog yet this Morning.....

 

[blindy107]

I'm gonna throw in my vote for CBD as well. Hopefully you live somewhere you can obtain real CBD and not the snake oil sold online.

Tagging @Mrbinx69 in this as he's pretty well versed in that plant and most likely can offer some good infos.

Best wishes.

 

[chandra]

Thank you. I wouldn't know where to find it where I live, so I'd probably have to order it online. I know there are lots of unreputable vendors so any advice is appreciated.

 

[chandra]

Boxcar that is good advice. It's a very fine line to walk between understanding her needs and trying to prevent meltdowns and giving into everything she wants.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Cbd oil might help, but it's insanely expensive on its own. ( although you wouldn't need much so) but I would order some real chamomile ( mountain rose herbs) and make an infusion of it, 1 ounce to 1 liter water. Let it steep in mason jar or something closed for NO MORE than 30 minutes, then give her a teaspoon of the tea every half hour or so and watch and use your intuition as to whether more or less. Chamomile is proven safe over and over for children and is very effective, you have to make it like this tho. You can't just buy chamomole from Walmart and make a cup of tea

It doesn't have to be mountain rose but that's the best aND cheapest chamomile I've ever found.
I have some if you want I'll mail you some

 

[chandra]

That would be great. I've tried the real chamomile from my local herb store, but it doesn't seem to get the job done for her. It is a world of difference from the so called chamomile at wal mart, but even when I give her a full cup it doesn't have much affect. I've also tried mixing chamomile and catnip. Great for my stomach cramps, still not much effect on her.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

How do you make it ?

 

[chandra]

I put a few teaspoons per cup of water. Add boiling water and try to let it sit till it cools down. I usually use a mason jar because it seems to retain the heat from the water well. It worked pretty well when she was younger and teething or cranky, but it hasn't seemed effective for the last year or so.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Try it one more time using the method I described above.

1 whole ounce into just a liter of water steep with boiled water for 30 minutes exactly strain with your kava strainer and squeeze and even knead the little chamomile heads a little . You will end up with a strong golden thick liquid. It should end up being atleast a little more effective

 

[chandra]

I never thought about kneading it. I'll pick up some and try it.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Pretty much you'll feel the slightly different texture when you do. Technically you have to squeeze the chamomile tops to release the volatile oils trapped and so kneading in a sense... really just squeezing it when straining it ... is enough to do that . You should notice a pretty good difference. It'll settle kind of like kava but more of a strandy liquid settle rather than sediment. Good luck let me know
Valerian is tough because it can have the opposite effect on people and end up keeping her awake. I would avoid any blends at first. Always start with simples. One herb at a time and if she seems to be fine with them then mix them for better results.
Warm milk is an amazingly underrated sleep aid as well.

Oooo I forgot, try skullcap tincture from mountainrose actually ... it has to be fresh tinctured . That stuff works miracles .. it's an antispasmodic and is much stronger and just as gentle . Double check if it's for kids but I can't see it not being safe it's one of the most effective and safe for everyone herbs there is. It's known as a gateway herb to herbalism because of this.
It will look like this. I would send you mind but its got one drop left

 

[chandra]

I've already order the Valerian extract, so I'm gonna give it a shot. I'll try to pick up some chamomile in the meantime. I believe the Valerian and skullcap are the only ones in the combo that I haven't tried with her, so if she has any adverse reactions I'll know it's one of those two. I think it's chamomile, catnip, valerian, and skullcap. I get what you are saying about keeping it simple, but I thought that the combination may be more effective without overdoing it on one thing. Wish I had known about mountainrose before I ordered it. Sounds like a great site.

 

[violet]

We use skullcap regularly, but chinese skullcap root tincture, known as Baikal skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis. It has neuroprotective and some other properties that American skullcap does not. Skullcap is also a good source of melatonin. Plant based sources of melatonin contain smaller amounts but are much more highly bioavailable. A tincture dosage of as little as 5-10 drops can cause subtle but positive effects in little ones.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

I've never tried Chinese . But yeah a dropper full of this tincture sets me right lol.
It's Ecspecially helpful when it's a heated conditions ( her face gets red when she's throwing a fit is a good sign it's heat )

It's true that it may be more effective but the problem comes with not knowing which herb caused it and it could excacberate side effects that may not exist at all if they were seperate . Give it a go, but go slow since it's a mix.
If anything in that blend causes an odd reaction it's gonna be valerian. All the other ones are known for being very universally helpful, where valerian as I said Is really back and forth with people. I've seen alot of random reactions online from people and myself.

I really hope she feels relief from something

 

[chandra]

Thank you. Her head is warm 90% of the time. Feels warm to the touch but she doesn't have an actual temp. Would that be considered a heated condition?