Walking Easier with cerebral palsy

The WE-Study

Botulinum toxin A, also known as Botox, is a drug that works by blocking the impulse transmission between the nerve and the muscle. The effect lasts for about three months. In Norway, about 60 % of children with cerebral palsy (CP) receive intramuscular Botox injections. It is documented that Botox reduces spasticity, but evidence of functional effect is limited. The goal of this study is to find out if Botox injections make walking easier in children with CP.

96 children between the age of 4 and 18 with uni- or bilateral spastic CP who are able to walk alone will be tested in this study. To be included in the study, the treating doctor should find indication for Botox injections in the calf muscles. The children must not have had Botox injections in their lower extremities during the last six months, and not undergone surgery in the lower extremities the last two years.

Participants are randomly divided into two groups; One group receives Botox, and the other saline injections in the calf muscle(s). In Norway, about 30-40 employees in five different hospitals are working with this study.

In 2018 two new centers, Nice and Warsaw respectively, have been included in the study.

Contact : We-studien@stolav.no