Doctors usually prescribe drugs for people who have seizures associated with cerebral palsy, and these medications are very effective in preventing seizures in many patients. In general, the drugs given to individual patients are chosen based on the type of seizures, since there are lots of different kinds of seizures, and no one drug controls all types. Also, you should remember that different people with the same type of seizure may do better on different drugs, and some people may need a combination of two or more drugs to get good seizure control.

Drugs to control seizures, also known as anticonvulsants, are general depressants (drugs that slow down the rate of the body’s vital functions) chosen to treat of seizures "because they reduce excessive stimulation in the brain without depressing vital centers (such as the respiratory center) and without sending the patient to sleep. The cause and type of epilepsy must be established before treatment is offered." Selecting the correct drug and dosage for a patient's individual needs is important and might take several months to find one that can control all the patient's symptoms. It is crucial that patients follow the instructions for taking their prescriptions exactly, and you should take note of any bad side effects and tell the doctor who prescribed the medication right away.

As with many prescription drugs, the amount of a seizure-controlling drug that is prescribed may need to be slowly increased over time, because the body will build up a resistance to it. Unfortunately, many drugs used to control seizures become dangerous after a certain amount, or dosage. This amount stays the same even your body needs more to control your symptoms, so it is important to pay close attention to your treatment routine. When the body's resistance, or tolerance, to the drug has reached a level where prescribing a higher amount couls possibly hurt the patient, a different drug may be prescribed. This change must occur slowly, so that withdrawal (a time when somebody dependent on a drug stops taking it, making the person feel pain or discomfort) symptoms from the drug can me reduced, if not totally avoided. These symptoms cannot only be very uncomfortable, but also very dangerous and sometimes deadly. The symptoms include:

• anxiety
• restlessness
• trembling
• weakness
• abdominal cramps
• vomiting
• hallucinations
• delirium
• fits,
• and even death

As with any drug that can affect a person's ability to be aware, driving and operating machinery must be avoided if the patient develops drowsiness or other impairing side effects.

"Children require more regular and higher dosing than adults as they break down the drugs more quickly. Multiple drug therapy (combining more than one anticonvulsant) should be considered very carefully as this further complicates monitoring and increases the risk of adverse side-effects from the interaction of drugs."

Drugs are also sometimes used to control spasticity (the tendency to go into spasms, or the state of being spastic.), particularly after surgery. The three medications that are used most often are: 

• diazepam, which acts as a general relaxant of the brain and body;
• baclofen, which blocks signals sent from the spinal cord to contract the muscles; and
• dantrolene, which interferes with the process of muscle contraction.

Given by mouth, these drugs can reduce spasticity for short periods, but their value for long-term control of spasticity has not been clearly establsihed. They may also cause significant side effects, such as drowsiness, and their long-term effects on the developing nervous system (the brains and nerves of growing children) are largely unknown. One possible solution to avoid such side effects may be found in current research to explore new ways (other than by mouth) to deliver these drugs. In one example, during surgery, a pump is implanted under the skin that continuously delivers the anti-spasmodic drug baclofen. This drug treatment is showing promise in children with moderate to severe spasticity.

Unfortunately, oral drug treatment is often not as helpful as hoped. Another type of treatment that is sometimes helpful is an injection of drugs such as Botox (botulinum toxin) directly into spastic muscles. The effects may last several months (allowing for more effective physical therapy during that time).

Sometimes doctors may use alcohol "washes" (or injections of alcohol into a muscle) to reduce spasticity for a short period. This technique is most often used when doctors want to correct a developing contracture (a permanent shortening of a muscle). Injecting alcohol into a muscle that is too short weakens the muscle for several weeks and gives doctors time to work on lengthening the muscle through bracing, therapy, or casts. In some cases, if the contracture is detected early enough, this technique may prevent the need for surgery.

People with athetoid cerebral palsy (a type of cerebreal palsy characterized by constant, slow, involuntary movements of the hands and fingers, and of the toes and feet) may sometimes be given drugs that help reduce abnormal movements. Most often, the prescribed drug belongs to a group of chemicals called anticholinergics, that work by reducing the activity of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that helps some brain cells communicate and that triggers muscle contraction. Anticholinergic drugs include trihexyphenidyl, benztropine, and procyclidine hydrochloride.

Click here for a more complete chart of drugs commonly used in the treatment of Cerebral Palsy. (Stanton, Marion, The Cerebral Palsy Handbook, p 51 - 53)