[Drug treatment for children with cerebral palsy]

Cerebral palsy is the main cause of immobility in children. This motor dysfunction is caused by several motor components such as weakness, lack of motor control and muscle hypertonia. Drug treatment, delineated in this review, mainly addresses the latter. Recently, new definitions for clinical features of hypertonia in children were published, assisting the distinction between the two common motor symptoms in cerebral palsy, spasticity and dystonia. The main functional symptoms disrupt functional daily life, dictating the overall approach and the specific drug treatment. There are an increasing number of treatments for this distressing disorder. For general spasticity, treatments provided include Baclofen. If symptoms are local, either dystonia, or spasticity, Botulinum toxin is the revolutionary drug used with significant success and relatively few side effects. For generalized dystonia, a trial of both Dopamine and Trihexyphenidyl should be considered. Cerebral palsy, like other complex disorders, requires individualized decision-making and a team approach. Drug therapy is only one aspect of treatment, yet sometimes it may serve as a window of opportunity to facilitate better motor control.