How can I help my child with dystonia?

Treatment may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, adaptive equipment and devices, speech therapy, behavioral strategies such as relaxation techniques, oral medications, botulinum neurotoxin injections, and/or deep brain stimulation surgery.

Can a child grow out of dystonia?

Treatment of dystonia Treatment is individualized to each patient — no specific treatment is appropriate for every patient. Children who are still growing need treatment before the dystonia causes permanent bone deformities.

What does dystonia look like in children?

Children with dystonia may experience contractions (appearing as spasms or convulsions) in opposing muscles, resulting in twisted or abnormal positioning of the body. Individuals with dystonia may also appear to shake or have a tremor.

Can you live a normal life with dystonia?

For the overwhelming majority, dystonia does not shorten life expectancy and is not fatal. In severe generalized dystonia that affects many body areas, problems can arise that are secondary to the dystonia and require emergency care.

Can Vitamin B12 deficiency cause dystonia?

Severe vitamin B12 deficiency may result in chorea, myoclonus, tremor, and dystonia. These manifestations, possibly a result of basal ganglia dysfunction, are rare but important to recognize as they are largely reversible with supplementation.

What are the treatment options for embouchure dystonia?

Treatment. The treatment of embouchure dystonia, like the treatment of all dystonias, is purely symptomatic at this stage. The following therapies may be attempted, but typically provide little relief for embouchure dystonia: • Oral medications, including Artane® (trihexyphenidyl), Klonopin® (clonazepam), and Lioresal®…

How do you treat dystonia in children?

Attempting a movement task on one side of the body may activate dystonia symptoms on the opposite side. Dystonic movements and postures may be temporarily relieved by a gentle touch or specific action called a sensory trick. How is Dystonia in Children Diagnosed?

What are the causes of embouchure dystonia?

There is no one isolated cause of embouchure dystonia, and the neurological origins are not entirely understood. As a child develops, he/she learns many different movements (such as walking, writing, or playing an instrument) that are stored in the brain as motor programs.

Which oral medications are used in the treatment of dystonia?

Trihexyphenidyl Trihexyphenidyl, an anticholinergic, is the only oral medication studied in a double-blind fashion for dystonia.