Self-estimated effect of treatment with botulinum toxin in the upper extremity of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Abstract

Objectives: National Swedish guidelines for treatment with botulinum toxin in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy(CP) include evaluation of self-estimated effects of treatment. We hypothesized that the treatment effect subsides after thefirst injection.Methods: Children (or their parents), receiving their first botulinum toxin treatment of upper limb before the age of 20 years,filled in a questionnaire (visual analog scale; VAS) six weeks after each injection.Results: Eighty-one out of 95 children or adolescents were evaluated (35% girls; 65% boys; 61% unilateral; 34% bilateral; 5% dyskinetic). Patients with unilateral CP were younger (median 8, range 1-19 years) than those with bilateral CP(12.5, 4-19 years; p