Cerebral palsy is a condition that is characterized by incorrectly developed or damaged portions of the brain that control movement and posture. It usually first appears in infants, within the first two years of life. People who have cerebral palsy may have difficulty with walking, using hand tools such as scissors or writing with a pen or pencil. Some people also may be affected by involuntary muscle movements and seizures. The symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary widely between people and can range from mild to severe. Although there are no cures for cerebral palsy, there are medications to treat the symptoms.
Botulism Toxin
Botulism toxin is used to treat muscle spasms. Because people with cerebral palsy have brains that send faulty signals for the movement and control of muscles, they can have spasms. Nerves control muscle movements by way of chemical signals. Botulism toxin blocks the chemical signals from reaching the muscle. There have been rare side effects of botulism toxin in infants, including difficulty with swallowing and breathing.
Muscle Relaxants
Muscle relaxants are prescribed for people with cerebral palsy in order to relax muscles that are stiff and contracted. Medications that are taken orally such as baclofen, diazepam, tizanidine and dantrolene are usually the first option in a treatment regimen to relax muscles. The side effects of these drugs include the potential for an upset stomach and a feeling of drowsiness. Sometimes a surgically implanted medical device can be used to pump the medication baclofen directly into fluid near the spinal cord.
Brand Names
Some of the brand names for the drug diazepam include Valium and Diastat. A brand name for the drug baclofen is Lioresal. A brand name for the drug tizanidine is Zanaflex. A brand name for the drug dantrolene is Dantrium.
