Botox injection

786

hello 👋 
my son is 24 and has mild form of cp in his legs. He is due to have his first treatment of Botox next week I am praying he finds it positive and works for him. Any advice would be appreciated Thank you. 

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @786 It's great to have you with us! 

Thank you for explaining that your son will be trying Botox treatment next week. I hope that it goes well. Please do let us know how he gets on. How is he feeling about it/

This isn't something I have personal experience of. I'll tag out specialist information officer for cerebral palsy, @Richard_Scope, in here. He may have some information or advice for you when he's back in.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if you might find it helpful to read our page on Botox treatment for cerebral palsy.

Richard_Scope

Hi @786
Good to meet you!

Botox is proven effective at relieving spasticity in individuals with cerebral palsy, its effects are temporary. Generally, the effects of Botox last for 3-6 months.

Luckily, there are ways for individuals with cerebral palsy to utilise Botox injections to get lasting spasticity relief.

The most effective way to promote long-term spasticity relief is to take advantage of the reduced muscle tone provided by Botox and participate in an intensive rehabilitation program.

This will allow individuals to practice movements and activities with a less restricted range of motion. Additionally, consistent stimulation will help promote the brain’s ability to reorganize itself: neuroplasticity. Through highly repetitive practice, individuals may activate neuroadaptive changes in the brain for long-term spasticity relief.

When movements affected by spasticity are reorganised to undamaged regions of the brain, communication between the muscles and brain will no longer be disrupted, resulting in permanent spasticity relief.

Is Botox Safe?

Botox injections to reduce lower limb spasticity have been graded effective and safe for individuals with cerebral palsy.

This study tested Botox on children with spasticity in their legs. One group received 200 units (the recommended and max dose) of Botox per leg while the other group received 100 units.

The children in the higher dose group showed significantly greater improvements than the lower dose group. Additionally, children who were 7 years old or younger demonstrated better motor improvements than those who were over 7. This is likely because younger children have had less time to form poor habits, and their brains also have increased neuroplasticity compared with those who are older.

Therefore, this study suggests that early intervention and using the right dosage of Botox can significantly affect functional outcomes in individuals with cerebral palsy.

Side Effects of Botox for Cerebral Palsy

Although Botox injections are generally safe, about 3-10% of people experience adverse side effects.

Likewise, individuals can develop tolerance to Botox. As a result, they may gradually require a higher dosage to receive the same amount of spasticity relief, which increases their risk of developing side effects.

Common side effects of using Botox to treat spasticity include:

• Soreness, bruising, pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site
• General muscle weakness
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Increased sweating

To determine whether Botox injections are ideal for you, consult with your neurologist.

Botox for Cerebral Palsy: Summary

Botox is commonly used to manage spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy, but the injections alone are not enough for long-term relief.

To treat spasticity long-term, active exercise is necessary. This promotes neuroplasticity, which may help rewire functions affected by spasticity to undamaged regions of the brain.

While the effects of Botox are temporary, they create opportunities to practice moving with the correct form and improve motor control.

Hopefully, this article helped you understand how Botox may help people with cerebral palsy and how to use it to get lasting results.

RyanaHunter

I'm sorry to hear about your son's condition, but it's great that he's getting the treatment he needs. Botox injections can be effective in managing spasticity and improving mobility for people with cerebral palsy.

forgoodnesssake

My son had botox about 3 times in one leg to try and help improve his foot position.  He then had (on 2 of the occasions) serial casting to "persuade" the foot into a better position.  It sort of worked, temporarily but ultimately he opted for ankle fusion surgery which was very successful.

So i would say that botox on its own is of limited use without some good input or at least advice from a physiotherapist so that you can optimise the benefits of the botox.