Medical Treatment/Chemotherapeutic management/Drug Management for Spastic Cerebral Palsy/Spastiscity


Klonopin (clonazepam)

Klonopin is a benzodiazepine. This is a group of medications that slow down the central nervous system (CNS). Clonazepam can be used in the treatment of spastisty. The usual dosage for Klonopin in the treatment of spastiscity is 0.5-2 mg two times per day. Other uses of Klonopin include anxiety and panic disorders, some types of sizures. Klonopin is a C-IV substance which means among other things that, it has some abuse potential, and that fedral law prohibits transmisson of this durg to anyone other then to whom it was percribed.


Side Effects for Klonopin (clonazepam)

Side Effects that you should report to your doctor immediatly

  • confusion, depression, double vision or abnormal eye movements, hallucinations, lightheadedness or fainting spells, mood changes, movment difficulty-staggering or jerking movment, muscle cramps, problems passing urin, restlessness, skin rash, speech difficulty, tremors, weakness or tiredness.

Side Effects that do not require medical attention unless they become bothersome

  • constipation or diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, nightmars, dizziness, drowsiness, clumsiness, or unsteadiness, a "hangover" effect, headache, nasua, vomiting.

Contraindications for Klonopin (clonazepam):

Diseases:
alcohol or drug abuse; glaucoma; kidney disease; liver disease; lung disease or breathing difficulties; myasthenia gravis (MG); Parkinson's disease (PD); psycotic illness; shortness of breath; snoring; suicidal thoughts; and unusual alergic reaction to clonazepam, or other benzodiazepines, foods, dyes, or preservitives; pregnant or trying to get pregnant, or breast feeding.

Medications:
alcohol, barbiturate medications for inducing sleep or treating sizures, cimetidine, disulfiram, erythomycin, female hormones--including contraceptive or birth controll pills, some medicines for hay fever and other allergies, antidepressents, medications for mental problems and psychotic disturbances, some pain medications, phenytoin.

 


Dantrolene Sodium (Dantrium)

Dantrolene is used to control muscle spasms and cramps which occur in cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. It works by inhibiting the release of calcium in muscle and skeletal tissue preventing muscle cramping and spasms.


Side effects for Dantrolene:

seizure, liver damage, difficulty breathing, bleeding, blood in the urine or stools, fever, diarrhea, weakness, rash, itching, hives, drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, nervousness, confusion, insomnia, hallucinations, rapid/irregular heart beat, watery eyes, blood pressure changes, double vision, weight loss, constipation, cramps, difficulty swallowing, frequency, sensitivity to sunlight, sweating, chills, unusual hair growth, muscle pain, chills.


Contraindications for Dantrolene:

Diseases
emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, chronic lung disease, heart disease, liver disease

Medications
acetaminophen, amiodarone, anabolic steroids, androgens, medications for infections, antithyroid agents, calcium channel blockers, carbamazepine, CNS depressants, chlorquine, daunprubicin, disulfiram, divalproex, estrogens, etretinate, gold salts, hydroxychloroquine, mercapto-purine, methotrexate, methyldopa, naltrexone, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, phenytoin, plica-mycin, tricylic antidepressants, or valproic acid.


Baclofen and The Baclofen Pump

Baclofen and the Baclofen Pump - a drug therapy used for the treatment of spasticity. This drug has shown mixed results.

Additional Information on Baclofen:

RX List.com

InteliHealth.com

UCP Net


Botox

This drug has been used in the USA and around the world for a number of years with mixed results in both adults and kids in an injectabel form. Personally, I have known people who didn't do any better on this therapy. But there is no one therapy that is right for every case of cerebral palsy. And in some people this is a very effective option for the management of spasticity.

Read recent findings of a study using injections of botulinum toxin (Botox) in children. In this study patients did not show significant improvement. Also check out this report on the management of cerebral palsy with botulinum toxin type A from AACPDM.

Aditional information:

Botulinum toxin Type A (Botox).

News article at drkoop.com

News article at OnHealth.com


Under Study:

The Primavera Institute in Russia is developing a Metabolic Amino Acid Therapy for Cerebral Palsy. This treatment is currently under study at 6 clinics in Russia and one in Cypress, London, and the Czech Republic. For a link to more information on this treatment please see our alternative medicine section.


For additional information on non-surgical treatments for cerebral palsy click here.

For additional information on medical and surgical treatments as well as other medical concerns for patients with cerebral palsy try this website by Families with Special Needs.


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This page was last updated 11/16/00