A new study reports that Botox may help relieve moderate to severe drooling problems in children who have cerebral palsy or other neurological problems. However essentially Botox is a poison, a derivative of botulism and the side effects of the injections have been associated with severe and fatal injuries when the injected medication spreads to other body parts.
A clinical trial was performed involving 131 children who have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy or other non-progressive neurological disorders. Botox injections caused a significant reduction in the drooling problem in just less than 50% of the test children. The effects of the shot were apparent for about 22 weeks. Getting the medication approved for use in this manner will require an FDA approval which isn’t likely considering the problems that Botox has already caused.
Botox has been approved for cosmetic use and to treat some medical conditions like crossed eyes, excessive sweating, and cervical dystonia. It is also used off label in high doses to treat the stiff and jerky movements of children with cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is considered a birth defect or birth injury because it begins just before, during or immediately after birth when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen for some reason. In February of 2008 the FDA warned against using Botox to treat cerebral palsy after receiving reports of sudden death, breathing problems and other life threatening side effects.
Because of this warning and the fact that a drug maker has illegally promoted the medication for use in treating cerebral palsy without adequate risk warnings, there are several lawsuits pending against the maker of Botox.
