**2.22 Medical marijuana**

CP has a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild spasticity to the inability to control the limbs and uncontrollable. A lot of research has been done, but the focus is to find different treatments to help, control, or cure the symptoms. Research for studying medical marijuana in CP is limited. Previous studies suggest that it has some benefits, including pain control, reduction of spastic movements, reduction of seizures, and more.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study on pain treatment was published in 2011. The study enrolled 83 CP adults, treated with 23 different pain medications, including medical marijuana [68]. The most frequent painful areas reported were the legs, lower back, and hips. Results show that "Marijuana was the most effective treatment to relieve the pain; however, less than 5% of the patients never used it for pain relief."

The most severe form of CP is spastic quadriplegia, children cannot walk, and their speech is usually severely affected. While their extremities are spastic, the neck muscles may be weak, and they are not able to hold their head up. Pain and communication disorders are common in spastic quadriplegia. We have limited data and limited studies on the use of medical marijuana for spastic quadriplegia symptoms that showed multiple therapeutic benefits could be gained. An NIH published in 2007 on the clinical experience and animal studies demonstrates that the active constituents in marijuana help to control partial seizures, which are common in spastic quadriplegia [69]. A published

#### *Management of Spasticity and Cerebral Palsy Update DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106351*

study in 2014 studied the effect of marijuana in reducing painful muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis, which are very common symptoms in this patient group [70].

Cannabis oil or CBD oil, a derivative substance form of marijuana, has a lot of public attention in recent years, especially after a CNN program on a young girl who used to have more than 50 convulsive seizures per day. The family tried all available treatment options with no control over her seizures, and they used a formulation with a high concentration of CBD oil, now known as "Charlotte's Web" after their daughter's first name [71]. Her seizure's frequency went done to only 2−3 per day after they used the oil for weeks. Later, she was successfully weaned off her anti-seizure medications. She also started to walk, talk, and ride her bicycle, and she was not able to do all of them before. Now, CBD oil was sold by different companies as a treatment not only for CP children's seizures but also for muscle spasms and chronic pain. It is important to consult with your doctor and to search companies selling the oil before starting your child on any medications. Keep in mind, however, that some state laws and regulations do not allow your doctor to give you a recommendation for CBD treatment.

"Getting high" is a legitimate concern of families considering medical marijuana treatment for their children. According to the author of Stoned: A Doctor's Case For Medical Marijuana, THC is the compound in marijuana that makes people feel high [72]. THC is found in a very low concentration in most of the marijuana and cannabis oil used in medical compounds, and it does not get the patient high. On the one hand, euphoria and hallucinations are due to THC. You might get high if there is some THC in the marijuana you are using. On the other hand, CBD does not have any of those brain effects. There are some studies that used 300, 400, or 600 milligrams of CBD, which is a large dose with no bad psychological side effects. Medical marijuana and CBD oil generally contain a higher concentration of CBD, which help treat seizures and muscle spasms.

There are non-life-threatening symptoms associated with CP like speech repetition and stuttering. They prevent the patient to communicate more effectively. Speech disorders and impediments, such as stuttering in CP children, can be treated by medical marijuana. Despite the few clinical studies published on medical marijuana and stuttering, but many doctors advocate its use as an effective treatment option for speech problems. **L Assistance for Your.**

#### **2.23 Stem cell therapy**

Stem cell therapy is the new era of finding treatment for different disorders, including CP. Stem cells are body cells that can grow and change into other types of cells. Umbilical cord blood of newborns is the optimal option to access and use, and they can develop into nearly any type of cell in the body. Research gave us great optimism that stem cells can help treat brain disorders by regenerating damaged tissue. There are running clinical trials using cord blood to treat CP children. The results are very hopeful, showing that the use of the stem cells is safe and that it could be useful in treating CP symptoms. It may be proven to be a cure for the condition. CP is currently having no cure, but research is progressing, and emerging treatments are proving that there is hope.
