Cannabidiol (CBD) Resource Clinic
Child Neurology & Consultants of Austin (CNCA) offers comprehensive care for neurology conditions that affect children from birth to young adulthood. CBD or cannabidiol is a new emerging treatment option for epilepsy, autism, spasticity, multiple sclerosis, and approved neurodegenerative disorders.
The CBD Resource Clinic is held at each CNCA location. This clinic is designed to allow families an opportunity to have all of their questions about CBD addressed by a clinician, while also allowing the clinician to closely monitor the patient’s progress. Anyone interested in an appointment at the CBD Resource Clinic must be referred by their pediatric neurologist at CNCA.
For more information, contact your CNCA pediatric neurologist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Existing patients will be referred by their CNCA pediatric neurologist to the specialty nurse practitioner at the CBD Resource Clinic. During the visit, the nurse practitioner will review your child’s symptoms, current medications, provide CBD education, and answer questions about CBD therapy. If your child is prescribed CBD by their neurologist, you will have regular appointments with the CBD Resource Clinic to track your child’s progress using monitoring tools and lab work to optimize CBD therapy.
Spend time thinking about what symptoms you wish to treat with the addition of CBD oil. Otherwise, just bring yourself, your child, and your questions! This is an opportunity to thoroughly discuss CBD oil as an option in your child’s overall treatment plan. Initial visits often require extra time for questions and education. We recommend planning for a one-hour visit for your first-time visit, and 30-minutes for follow-up visits.
Your child will continue to see their pediatric neurologist in addition to appointments at the CBD Resource Clinic. The specialty nurse practitioner will address your questions about CBD therapy and monitor your child’s progress, while also collaborating with your child’s neurologist about possible dose adjustments.
Texas has three licensed medical cannabis providers in the state. Each dispensary grows, processes, and distributes CBD products by prescription only. There are variations in THC concentrations available at different dispensaries (THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effect or “high”). The THC concentration will be decided on by your child’s neurologist. Not all dispensaries in Texas carry all of the various concentrations at this time.
If your child’s neurologist and the specialty nurse practitioner feel your child could benefit from adding CBD in their treatment plan, and you meet the state requirements to be allowed to obtain CBD, your child will be registered into the Texas CBD online registry. You will need to provide the last five digits of your child’s social security number, as well as the social security information for you or the legal guardian who will be picking up the medication on the patient’s behalf. Once your child has been entered into the system, your child’s neurologist will enter a plan and a prescription for the exact dosing of CBD. After this, you may obtain the CBD oil from any of the three medical dispensaries in Texas that carry the prescribed CBD oil. This process can take 24-78 hours after your visit.
Regular blood monitoring is required. The first lab must be obtained prior to starting CBD. Follow-up labs will be obtained three months after initiation of CBD treatment, and then regularly on a 6 to 12-month schedule. The specialty nurse practitioner will also closely monitor symptoms during the entire course of treatment and at each follow-up appointment.
Do you have additional questions about our Cannabidiol (CBD) Resource Clinic? Call Child Neurology & Consultants of Austin at (512) 494-4000 for more information, or request a consultation now. We look forward to serving you at one of our three convenient locations in Central Austin, Cedar Park, or South Austin.
