Autism

The alarming number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has increased dramatically in recent years: From a ratio of 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 68 in 2012, under data from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Because of this increase, more and more parents are resorting to alternative forms of treatment to counter the underlying symptoms of autism. Traditional medications often fail to produce the desired results for many autistic patients or their families. However, several studies have shown that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) is an emerging treatment that doctors and patients are increasingly using to help alleviate symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. This simple, non-invasive treatment consists of 1-hour daily sessions in a hyperbaric chamber, where the paediatric patient along with the parent receive increased doses of oxygen. HBO has been shown to help reduce inflammatory processes and improve cognitive function, greatly helping thousands of patients with autism spectrum disorder.

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF HBO FOR PATIENTS WITH AUTISM BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES

IMPROVING BRAIN REGENERATION AND RECOVERY WITH HBO

Increases oxygen supply to insufficiently oxygenated tissue
Reduces neurological inflammatory processes
Relieves mitochondrial dysfunction
Promotes neurone formation
Stimulates the production and mobilization of stem cells
Reduces the frequency of seizures
Activates neuroplasticity

IMPROVING PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS WITH HBO

Supports receptive/expressive language expressions
Improves movement and walking
Stimulates better eye contact
Improves gross/fine motor skills

IMPROVING BEHAVIOURAL FUNCTIONS WITH HBO

Improves the sleep cycle
Promotes social skills and interaction
Reduces aggressiveness

IMPROVING DIGESTIVE FUNCTIONS WITH HBO

Reduces digestive problems
Suppresses inflammatory processes
Promotes nutrient absorption

STUDY: ALLEVIATING AUTISM SYMPTOMS WITH HBO

In 2009, the results of a multicentre, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial that examined the effect of HBO in 56 children ages 2 to 7 who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were published. The study involved six separate HBO centres where experts administered hyperbaric oxygen therapy to 30 children 40 times in the form of one-hour sessions over a 4-week period. The remaining 26 children received placebo treatment. By the end of the study, 80 percent of children in the HBO group had a significant increase in median medical scores on the Global Clinical Impression (CGI) scale in terms of overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, and eye contact. The main improvements within the Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC) were observed in the areas of irritability, stereotyping, hyperactivity and speech. Finally, the assessment of treated children based on the ATEC score (Autism Treatment Evaluatlon Checklist) in terms of sensory/cognitive awareness showed substantial improvement. Hyperbaric therapy was confirmed to be safe and well tolerated not only by children but also by their parents in both groups.