Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the medical use of oxygen at pressure levels higher than those of atmospheric pressure. Patients receiving the treatment are placed into a sealed chamber that circulates only oxygen. The oxygen is pressurized so that the air pressure is two to three times greater than the normal atmospheric pressure. This setup allows for more oxygen to be absorbed by the body tissues in a shorter period of time. Patients are occasionally given short breaks of normal air to prevent oxygen toxicity.
This type of oxygen therapy has been commonly used for the healing of gangrene, decompression sickness, post-radiation therapy damage to bones and skin, and other injuries in which the bodily tissues are not receiving enough oxygen. Some doctors have theorized that the HBOT autism therapy can improve symptoms of autism by increasing oxygen intake, which will reduce inflammation and hypo-perfusion (lack of oxygen) in the brain. (Note: there is no scientific evidence that inflammation or lack of oxygen is related to autism in any way.) Nevertheless, through word of mouth, HBOT has become a fairly well known therapy within the autism community. Some doctors and parents that have decided to provide children with the therapy have seen improvements in oxidative stress, inflammation, neurological function, and cognitive performance of children. The therapy is usually provided in a series of 40 sessions, which last sixty minutes each. Side effects that are common to the therapy include ear pain, reversible myopia (nearsightedness), and seizures. The therapy can also be very costly to parents, and it is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of autism. If parents do consider Autism Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for their child, they should do extensive research and discuss the treatment at length with a pediatrician or autism specialist before investing in it.
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