What non-operative treatments are available for children with CP?
(from Dr. Andrew Bowe) As you are well aware, besides surgery, physical therapy and the use of braces, and occasionally Botox injections and can certainly help youngsters with cerebral palsy. A: (from Renée Walsh, RPT) It is a very exciting time in that regard. Great strides have been taken in the treatment of spasticity. We are using Botox injections to relax or paralyze muscles to allow better stretching. Sometimes we inject muscles that we intend to elongate (release) at a later date. The temporary paralysis allows us to see if the release will do what we want it to. There are oral medications that produce an overall relaxation without making the child sleepy. There is a surgery that cuts certain nerves in the spine that results in less spasticity and greater functional ability. That is called a dorsal rhizotomy. There is also a pump that is inserted near the spinal canal with a tube that delivers relaxing medication to the spinal cord directly. That is called a Baclofen pump. Only
