Toronto parents petition Health Canada over pot for kids

A Toronto couple is petitioning Health Canada to begin clinical trials on medical marijuana for kids as they search for optionsto alleviate theextreme seizures plaguing their baby girl.

Nine-month-old Kaitlyn Pogson is the youngest child at The Hospital for Sick Children in Torontoto be diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a rareform of epilepsythat only affects one in30,000 children. She maynever beable to walk or speak.

Kaitlyns mother, Shannon Pogson, saysher daughters seizures are"terrifying."

"Every single time she has another one it's almost worse and you're terrified that they're not going to stop because they're so long," she said.

The seizures now last up to an hour. By the time Kaitlyn is a year old, she could be having them constantly.

'It's not something that can be ignored because it could save Kate's life.' Shannon Pogson

"(Its) five or six different types of seizures so shes going to be either seizing or sleeping," said father Barry Pogson.

The couple is hoping a strain of marijuana that is low in THC, the mind-altering ingredient in the plant, and can be administered as an oil, could help to alleviateKaitlyn's seizures.

"It's worked in so many kids and so much so that there's a waiting list in Colorado to get access to it," said Shannon.

The marijuana strain instead has increased levels of cannabidiol, or CBD, and has been widely studied in the United States.

The medicationKaitlyn iscurrentlytakingdoesn't providethe same reliefit doesforother children suffering with Dravet Syndrome, her parents say.

Feeding tube

The medication also causedher to stop eating several months ago, forcingShannon and Barryto feedKaitlyn through a tube in her stomach.

"We haven't really come across a medication yet that even most of the time brings her out [of her seizures]," Barry said, noting that every time Kaitlyn has a seizure they call 911.

"Alot of the time she seems to be coming out herself, so even at the ER at SickKids a lot of it is just waiting and hoping that it stops," he said.

The couple is hoping theironline petition to Health Canada that has garnered over 2,000 signatures may encourage a clinical study on the low-TCH marijuana in this country..

"It's not something that can be ignored because it could save Kate's life," Shannon said.