Madison was back at Grandview this evening for her next block of therapy with Kathy and Kate. She showed them her new skills of sitting on her own and trying to pull herself up. They worked on crawling, sitting on a block while reaching for objects, fine motor skills with discs and slotted boxes and using her walker. She did a fabulous job!
We also discussed the option of treatment using botox in the near future. Madison will be placed on a wait list for the next 4 months to see a doctor specializing in botox which she can receive once she is two years old.
Here’s some info:
“When most people hear the term botox, they automatically assume that the impending use will be for some celebrities wrinkled, aging face and their last stab at beauty. However, few are aware of a more important use for botox, and the connection between botox and cerebral palsy.
Botulinum toxin type A, or botox, is a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent that reduces the rigidity of muscles or unwanted spasms in a specific muscle. Botox is produced from the bacteria that causes food poisoning and provides relief for muscle stiffness at the site of injection. Though high doses of botox can be deadly, the very small doses used in cerebral palsy cases. Over the past ten years, the use of botox has shifted from wrinkle reduction to successfully treating muscle spasticity in children with cerebral palsy, making botox and cerebral palsy a hugely successful match.
The marriage of botox and cerebral palsy may seem odd at first, but is actually quite practical. When prepared for therapeutic use, botox is injected in small amounts into the spastic or stiff muscles. It begins to take effect by blocking transmission between the nerves and the affected muscles. The injection stops the signal between the nerve and the muscle, relaxing the muscle and reducing stiffness. Botox only affects the muscles that are injected and once the muscles are relaxed, therapists are able to stretch the muscles and stimulate normal growth.
There are several benefits associated with botox and cerebral palsy. Botox injections can offer many benefits including ease in stretching, improvement in child’s range of motion, tolerance to wearing braces and developmental improvements in crawling, standing, or gait changes”
Madi Moves 