Moving Free

Botox,commonly used for cosmetic surgeries,is now being used to relax muscles in cerebral palsy affected children.

Botox,commonly used for cosmetic surgeries,is now being used to relax muscles in cerebral palsy affected children

Four-year-old Ramesh (name changed) who walked on his toes and had an unsteady gait suffered from cerebral palsy. His parents had to frequent take him for physiotherapy visits when they heard about how Botox (Botulinum toxin A) used commonly for beautificationcould also be used to relax the tight muscles for children affected by cerebral palsy (CP). The technique of using Botox for helping children affected by it is something that is fast catching on these days. Dr Sameer Desai,a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon who has specialised in Botulinum Toxin A treatment has helped 500 such children with CP. He has also designed a website on http://www.cerebralpalsyinfo.co.in for the same,which was first mentioned on October 3,also observed as national CP day. Dr Anand Pandit,head of the department of paediatrics at KEM hospital will launch the website that provides information on the multifaceted disorder affecting the brain and in turn higher functions- speech,vision and hearing as well as the musculoskeletal system.

Botulinum Toxin A is being commonly used in the face for its beautification. Recent research has shown that it can be safely injected in other tight muscles of hands and legs in order to relax them. Botulinum toxin A is a research molecule which is extracted and purified by special processing. It acts at the junction of nerves and muscles and causes relaxation of muscles. There are no known permanent side effects of this injection. The action of the injection lasts for approximately 6 months. However with good physiotherapy and use of splints it can be prolonged for 2-3 years. After that it needs to be repeated. This injection can be safely repeated 5-6 times. This injection can be used in 2 main conditions,cerebral palsy and post stroke spasticity, says Desai.

Cerebral palsy is a condition in which there is injury to immature brain either during pregnancy,delivery or after birth. It leads to delay in milestones like neck holding,sitting and walking. Desai says,The child walks on the toes or exhibits scissoring(crossing) of legs. This injection can then be given in the spastic muscles to relax them. This helps the child to stand and walk with better support. It also gives the physiotherapist a window period during which they can train and strengthen the muscles. Best results are usually achieved in children between 3-8 yrs of age. This injection is routinely used abroad. In India however there are a lot of misconceptions about the injection. The biggest advantage of the injection is that it is perfectly safe,without any side effects and there are no scars of surgery involved. The injection should however be used by specially trained doctors.

Meanwhile the unique feature of the website is the photos of physiotherapy methods have been displayed on the website so parents can do them at home. It also gives a list of treating specialists,CP schools and association. We also plan to keep a camp for examination and treatment of children with orthopaedic problems,where children will be treated at concessional charges on October 5 and 6, Desai added.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories