Research summaries for autism therapy: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)

definition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT): This therapy is the medical use of oxygen at pressures higher than that found naturally at normal atmospheric pressure. HBOT is used medically for a variety of conditions. HBOT is being explored for effectiveness in helping children with autism. There have been reports of HBOT improving language skills and social interaction in children with autism.
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Scientifically Unsupported Therapies in the Treatment of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Summarized Dec 11, 2008

Many parents use scientifically unproven therapies to help their children with autism.

This article reviews a few therapies that are used to treat autism (vitamins, sensory integration therapy, facilitated communication, auditory integration therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and others). The author states that while some treatments can improve autism in many children, the above therapies have not been proven to work in research studies. Vitamin therapy includes vitamins A, C, B6-magnesium complex, folic acid, and B12. Sensory integration therapy is designed to help children learn to process the input from their senses. Facilitated communication involves having a person guide the child with autism as he or she talks through a computer. Read more...

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Thai Autistic Children, Summarized Nov 10, 2008

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may help children with autism to sleep better, think better, and have better social skills.

Some children with autism have problems with the limbic system of the brain. Some people believe that HBOT may help with this problem by feeding the brain more oxygen. This study was designed to see if HBOT is a good therapy for autism. HBOT decreased the symptoms of autism in 75% of the seven children tested in this study. The authors suggest that many different types of therapies may be used together to help children with autism. Read more...

A Review of Recent Reports on Autism: 1000 Studies Published in 2007, Summarized Oct 28, 2008

Children with autism have medical and therapy costs that are $4,110-6,200 more than children without autism.

This article reviews the autism research studies that were published in 2007. The most common drug therapy is risperidone, which may lessen irritability, repetition, and social withdrawal. Other drugs used as autism therapy include atypical antipsychotics, antibiotics, and memantine. One study found that acupuncture helped over half of the children with autism who received treatment. The article also reviewed massage therapy, robots, electroconvulsive therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), and music therapy. Read more...

The Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Symptoms in Children with Autism: An Open-Label Pilot Study, Summarized Mar 31, 2008

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) appears to be safe and may improve symptoms of autism.

This study was designed to see if HBOT had an effect on blood work or behavior of children with autism. The study used low hyperbaric pressure (1.5 atm and 100% oxygen or 1.3 atm and 24% oxygen). The therapy sessions were 45 minutes long, which is shorter than the 60 minutes often used for HBOT. The authors found that HBOT did not increase cell stress (intracellular oxidative stress). This is good because others studies have found that symptoms of autism get worse when there are signs of cell stress. Read more...

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Synonyms for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) include: HBOT, hyperbaric oxygen therapy
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