Botox is becoming a common treatment option for patients with cerebral palsy and is even used at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia but this use may also be harming patients.
Botox is commonly thought of a medication used to treat wrinkles in senior citizens but doctors and researchers and seeing its extended benefits in treating spastic or constricted muscles. Botox has yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration in this capacity but it is has been approved to treat cervical dystonia or repetitive neck muscle contraction, abnormal twitching of the eyelids, crossed eyes and even severe underarm sweating. The drug has been routinely used to decrease muscle tightness and used to treat cerebral palsy patients with the majority of results being beneficial.
Treating cerebral palsy patients with Botox has yet to be approved by the FDA and is considered an "off label" use of the drug. An "off label" use is not illegal or inappropriate as long as patients are warned about the all the potential side effects of the drug. Doctors who use Botox as a treatment for cerebral palsy see little side effects but some patients are claiming it has taken the lives of their children. In rare cases Botox has been shown to cause muscle paralysis and difficulty breathing especially when injected in the neck area. Two lawsuits have been filed against Botox, its manufacturer and treating physicians for the deaths of two children with cerebral palsy. In both cases, parents claim that after Botox injections their child stopped breathing and was unable to be resuscitated.
It is always important to fully discuss all treatment options with your physician especially when a drug is being used "off label." No one in the medical community doubts the benefits of Botox but doctors and patients must be aware of the rare but dangerous side effects.
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