In recent years, Botox has gained increasing popularity as an effective cerebral palsy treatment. Though the Food and Drug Administration has not approved Botox for treating cerebral palsy, physicians have found in useful in controlling limb spasticity.

Botox, as most people are aware, is derived from a dangerous toxin. When injected into muscles, botulinum toxin causes the muscles to relax, thereby relieving spasms. However, medical treatments involving Botox often require much higher doses of the deadly toxin than cosmetic treatments.

Severe & Deadly Side Effects in Cerebral Palsy Patients

These higher doses can result in a greater risk of serious and potentially deadly side effects such as breathing problems and respiratory failure. In February, the FDA announced that it had received reports of hospitalizations and deaths in patients treated with Botox for both approved and unapproved uses.

The most severe reactions, according to the agency, occurred in children treated with Botox for limb-spasticity associated with cerebral palsy. The FDA emphasized that Botox has not been proven safe or effective for treating spasticity in cerebral palsy patients under age 12.

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