Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Children with Autism

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or HBOT, is a treatment mode, during which a patient is entirely enclosed in a chamber and given oxygen to breathe at a pressure greater than one atmosphere.  Both the enclosed chamber and the pressure are necessary for HBOT.  The patient sits in the chamber and relaxes, naps, or even watches a movie or video.  HBO diffuses oxygen throughout the body, even into damaged tissues.  Pressurized oxygen has tremendous healing capabilities.  Oxygen expands and enlarges restricted capillaries and blood vessels in the body, even to the speech and language centers of the brain.  HBOT heals the brain by activating idling neurons, thus enabling cognitive function. Outcomes include improved attention, concentration, and the ability to follow directions, along with a reduction in hyperactivity.  HBOT also improves muscle tone because oxygen increases muscle mass.

Many autism doctors have recommended HBOT for their autism patients because HBOT delivers oxygen deep into the tissues of the body where it attacks and kills yeast overgrowth, fungus, mold, and toxic pathogens—all with an intense and short-lived die off, and without a negative effect on the liver.  You may see improvements more quickly than by using antifungals alone.  Treatments typically last one to two hours.  The more treatments, the greater the potential for improvement.  Some see significant benefits with as few as five treatments, although forty to sixty treatments are more common.  HBO chambers vary among manufacturers; some are very large, others portable.  An individual assessment by your doctor, including a patient’s age, severity of the gut problems, and consideration of other therapies being done simultaneously, determines the proper number of treatments and which type of chamber is appropriate.  Insurance sometimes covers HBOT with a pre- and post- treatment SPECT scan.

When choosing an HBOT center, it should be noted that a hard chamber is typically in a medical facility with a trained physician in HBOT there at all times.  Mild Hyperbaric therapy is in a soft chamber, which is portable and can be used in the home.  Unlike HBOT in a hard chamber, which is at 1.5 ATA (Atmospheres Absolute), a mild hyperbaric chamber can only get to 1.3 ATA.  Therefore, more treatments may be required with the Mild Hyperbaric treatment option.  Consult your child’s doctor regarding which treatment is most appropriate.