The effect of botulinum toxin A (Botox) injections used to treat limb spasticity on speech patterns in children with dysarthria and cerebral palsy: A report of two cases

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Workinger, Marilyn Seif^{a; *} | Kent, Raymond D.^b | Meilahn, Jill R.^c

Affiliations: [a] Emeritus Research, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI, USA | [b] University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA | [c] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Marilyn Seif Workinger, 1000 N Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA. Tel.: +1 715 389 3695; E-mail: workinger.marilyn@marshfieldclinic.org.

Abstract: Botulinum toxin A (Btx-A) injections are used to treat limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP) resulting in improved gross and fine motor control. This treatment has also been reported to have additional functional effects, but the effect of treatment on speech has not been reported. This report presents results of longitudinal speech evaluation of two children with CP given injections of Btx-A for treatment of limb spasticity. Speech evaluations were accomplished at baseline (date of injections) and 4- and 10-weeks post-injections. Improvements in production of consonants, loudness control, and syllables produced per breath were found. Parental survey also suggested improvements in subjects’ speech production and willingness to speak outside the testing situation. Future larger studies are warranted to assess the nature of the changes observed related to Btx-A.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy/complications, cerebral palsy/drug therapy, muscle spasticity/drug therapy, speech, treatment outcome

DOI: 10.3233/PRM-170433

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 137-143, 2017