Intrathecal baclofen therapy and the child with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Children with cerebral palsy have tight, spastic muscles that often interfere with function, care, and, ultimately, quality of life. Until recently, treatment usually focused on the effects of the spasticity rather than the spasticity itself. Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy (ITB) administers a muscle-relaxing agent directly into the intrathecal space; thereby decreasing the amount of spasticity the child exhibits. This article discusses cerebral palsy and a new treatment for spasticity, ITB, and the development of an ITB program.