New technique to treat cerebral palsy

hyderabad: conventional forms of treatment such as physiotherapy and orthoses can now be used along with the ‘wonder drug’ botox to treat paediatric spasticity due to cerebral palsy (injury to the brain before, during or just after birth). it is being recommended by city based doctors. according to a statement issued by the nizam’s institute of medical sciences (nims) additional professor of neurology dr rupam borgohain worldwide research has shown that botox treatment has lead to significant improvement in gait and limb movement.it has been administered in other parts of the country as well with significant results that will revolutionise treatment approach to spasticity. botox (botulinum toxic type a-purified neurotoxin complex) along with planned physiotherapy can provide significant relief from spasticity in certain muscles. the administration of botox also helps improvement in walking but it requires repeated doses. according to borgohain botulinum toxic type acts locally in the injected muscles to decrease spasticity, enables muscles to grow normally and increases the chance of normal development of movement. however, the level of response to this form of treatment is related to the degree of spasticity, the age of the child and the amount of physiotherapy that will be needed after the injection.the botox therapy is most effective when used during the early stages of spasticity. botox therapy is being used for other conditions of muscle contraction such as increased involuntary blinking of the eyes (blepharospasm), for cosmetic treatment of facial wrinkles, spasmodic dysphonia and cervical dystonia.