Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Regional Autism Recovery Center Opens in West Virginia

scottie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:31:35 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Janet Lintala, a DAN! doctor, has seen results in children with autism who utilize her Autism Recovery Resource Center in West Virginia.

Body:

Dr. Janet Lintala, a DAN! doctor, has seen results in children with autism who utilize her Autism Recovery Resource Center in West Virginia. Dr. Lintala opened the biomedically focused clinic in 2008, and is now receiving children from all over the region. Therapies included at the clinic are: gluten-free and casein-free diets, mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, antifungal therapy, detoxification therapies, and other therapies to strengthen the immune system. In addition, there are lab facilities to test stool, urine, hair and blood. Dr. Lintala suggests that no one therapy is the answer for a child with autism, and says, "We encourage parents to explore options that will help their child, such as speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, applied behavioral analysis, behavioral therapy and others." Dr. Lintala's goal is a "multi-specialty, state-of-the art regional center where families can find everything from a diagnosis to educational materials; . . . where a cure is offered."

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Hyperbaric Treatment for Children with Autism: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial

scottie — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:18:51 +0000

Title	Hyperbaric Treatment for Children with Autism: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Rossignol DA, Rossignol LW, Smith S, Schneider C, Logerquist S, Usman A, Neubrander J, Madren EM, Hintz G, Grushkin B, Mumper EA
Journal Title	BMC Pediatric
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	9
Pages	21-36
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19284641?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Hyperbaric treatment (40 hourly sessions) may improve function, language, social skills, eye contact, and sensory awareness in children with autism. Many children with autism have poor blood flow and low levels of oxygen in their brains. While this has been measured, no one knows why the brains of children with autism are different from the brains of other children. This study was done to see if hyperbaric treatment could help relieve the symptoms of autism. This trial is the first controlled study of hyperbaric treatment in children with autism. The use of hyperbaric treatment at 1.3 atm and 24% oxygen was safe with no side effects.

Scientifically Unsupported Therapies in the Treatment of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

scottie — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:36:25 +0000

Title	Scientifically Unsupported Therapies in the Treatment of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Schechtman MA
Journal Title	Pediatric Annals
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	36
Issue	8
Pages	497-505
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17849608&ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	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.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Thai Autistic Children

scottie — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:12:58 +0000

Title	Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Thai Autistic Children
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Chungpaibulpatana J, Sumpatanarax T, Thadakul N, Chantharatreerat C, Konkaew M, Aroonlimsawas M
Journal Title	J Med Assoc Thai
Year of Publication	2008
Volume	91
Issue	8
Pages	1232-1237
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18788696?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	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.

A Review of Recent Reports on Autism: 1000 Studies Published in 2007

scottie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:22:50 +0000

Title	A Review of Recent Reports on Autism: 1000 Studies Published in 2007
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Hughes JR
Journal Title	Epilepsy & Behavior
Year of Publication	2008
Volume	13
Issue	3
Pages	425-437
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18627794?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	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.

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

scottie — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:30:54 +0000

Title	The Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Symptoms in Children with Autism: An Open-Label Pilot Study
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Rossignol DA, Rossignol LW, James SJ, Melnyk S, Mumper E
Journal Title	BMC Pediatrics
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	7
Issue	36
Pages	1-13
URL for Abstract	http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=18005455
Full Text	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.

Oxygen Therapy as Potential Treatment for Autism

scottie — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:06:29 +0000

Teaser:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may have potential in the treatment of autism.

Body:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may have potential in the treatment of autism. Several doctors in FL (Tampa and Melbourne) have used HBOT to help children with autism increase language skills and social interaction, while decreasing self-stimming behaviors. These doctors believe that the pressurized oxygen chamber may increase blood flow to the brain.

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Offered by Dad of Child with Autism

scottie — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:33:40 +0000

Teaser:

Mark Merrell of Hamilton County, IN, searched as far as Florida for treatment and therapy for his daughter with autism.

Body:

Mark Merrell of Hamilton County, IN, searched as far as Florida for treatment and therapy for his daughter with autism. He discovered hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in FL as an alternative therapy. Back in Indiana, he purchased a chamber for his home, and then started Oxsyspa, one of the few locations in the Midwest offering this therapy. HBOT may better help the body absorb oxygen "The idea of pressurized oxygen ... is the key, because it's putting more oxygen in the fluid - the plasma - in between the red blood cells," says David Dabro, MD, medical director at Oxsyspa.

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Autism Spectrum Disorders in Early Childhood: An Overview for Practicing Physicians

scottie — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:28:52 +0000

Title	Autism Spectrum Disorders in Early Childhood: An Overview for Practicing Physicians
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Carr JE, LeBlanc LA
Journal Title	Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	34
Issue	2
Pages	343-359
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17666231&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	This review article describes the many treatment options for children with autism. The authors go into detail on ten treatment options: 1) early and intensive behavioral intervention (applied behavior analysis (ABA)); 2) Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children (TEACCH); 3) relationship development intervention (RDI)/developmental; individual-difference, relationship based model (DIR); 4) sensory integration therapy; 5) gluten-free/casein-free diet; 6) vitamin therapy; 7) risperidone; 8) chelation therapy ; 9) secretin; and 10) hyperbaric oxygen therapy. They note that while there are many forms of ABA all share three things: 1) they are intense, 2) they are very focused and teach certain skills, and 3) they teach these skills by giving a child a reward when they do things right. In contrast, TEACCH works around the learning styles of the children with autism and uses special techniques to help them learn. RDI and DIR are unique in that they focus on teaching children to connect socially with others through a technique known as "floor time." The authors discuss these therapy options in the hopes that doctors will be better able to help parents seeking treatments for their children.

Stem Cell Therapy for Autism

scottie — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:41:11 +0000

Title	Stem Cell Therapy for Autism
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Ichim TE, Solano F, Glenn E, Morales F, Smith L, Zabrecky G, Riordan NH
Journal Title	Journal of Translational Medicine
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	5
Pages	30
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17597540&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Stem cells may be a good autism therapy because they may be able to promote blood flow to the brain. Children with autism may have poor blood flow through their brain that can cause brain cell death. Most treatments for autism address behavior, nutrition, or medicine. Other possible therapies include hyperbaric oxygen, zinc, and drugs that help to control the immune system. The authors of this paper propose that a Phase I/II clinical trial be done to see if special cells (CD34+) from cord blood can be used as a treatment for autism. The authors state that stem cell therapy has worked as a treatment of autism, although the results have not been published in medical journals.