Botox can help kids with cerebral palsy

Besides removing wrinkles, the all-famous beauty toxin Botox can also be used for treating muscle stiffness in children with cerebral palsy. It was in 1993, that the first report on the use of Botox in the treatment of spasticity in children was released. Since then, there have been various attempts in assessing the usefulness of Botox providing relief to kids with cerebral palsy. The muscles of people with cerebral palsy are often stiff, contract spontaneously and over-react to stimulation, a characteristic called spasticity. Injection of Botox helps to reduce spasticity and allows the person a greater degree of control over muscle movement. Researchers at the Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Centre, in Seattle examined the effects of Botox shots versus placebo in 33 children with spastic diplegia -- a form of cerebral palsy where both the arms and legs have abnormal stiffness. Outcomes were measured at baseline and 3, 8, 12, and 24 weeks after injection. The results showed that the physiologic and mechanical effects of Botox shots were genuine and measurable. Though these effects may not create enough change in the patient's function or in their families' perception, they definitely prove the usefulness of Botox in the treatment of cerebral palsy.