Area Mom Credits Medical Cannabis for Son’s Improved Behavior [VIDEO]
It's safe to say that Amie Carter has seen her share of challenges as a mother. Her son Jayden has been prone to behavioral outbursts which have resulted in visits from area police and even violence toward her. But the Burton family's quality of life has improved over the last several months, as she's begun treating the fifth grader with medical cannabis.
"I've tried just about every pharmaceutical approved for children, and not approved for children, and we were on a dead-end road for a lot of years," Carter told Cars 108 in a phone interview. "He ended up getting his [medical marijuanna] card for his headaches and nausea."
Jayden, now 11, explained in the video below that he made an attempt to commit suicide when he was six years old. Carter tells me Jayden was put in a holding cell by Genesee Township Police when he was nine years old, and has spent 125 days in a mental health facility. Her struggles with her son are well documented, as she appeared on an episode of the 'Dr. Phil' show in 2014 to discuss her parenting challenges.
Jayden was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, which is a form of autism when he was two years old. He's also been labeled bipolar and suffers from ADHD
In 2016, Carter began treating Jayden with Cannabis oil and saw improvements in his behavior almost immediately.
"Every day he'd go to school and get 'thumbs up' days," she said. "And when I wouldn't give it to him, he wouldn't have great days. When I finally told his teacher, she said, 'Keep it up, it's working.'"
Carter then began a daily regimen of giving her son a rice-sized drop of cannabis oil twice per day, in a vegan capsule.
"His behavior, his demeanor, his mind has changed 100 percent. He's like a different kid. He's the same kid, but he's calm, he's patient, and he's saying things and doing things that he never has before."
Carter is hoping to see Autism become an approved condition for treatment with medical marijuana. Her son's other conditions have qualified him to legally receive the treatment, but she's hoping future legislation will pave the way for parents whose children are on the spectrum to receive the same consideration she has.