Q: I want to know that how effective is Botox in the treatment of a mentally retarded child who is unable to sit and move. The child is 3 years old. After 15 days of birth she suffered form viral meningitis.

A:Botox is undergoing study for use in cerebral palsy. The typical situation would be to relax non-fixed contractures and to facilitate passive exercises when spasticity hinders such care. The treatments with Botox should be part of an overall plan to provide relief by means of surgery or by using braces. The Botox is not an alternative to these corrective measures, since repeated injections of Botox every few months will often lead to a diminishing response and may cause side-effects. Thus, overall planning with an orthopaedic specialist is required.