New research just released from Denver found that children on the autism spectrum who had 40 sessions in a mild hyperbaric oxygen chamber (mHBOT) had significant language gains compared to a control group.

This research, led by Dr. Dan Rossignol, found that not only did HBOT help with language issues, but also with sleep and intestinal issues. Rossignol has been researching the use of HBOT to improve the lives of autistic children for some time. The hypothesis of why HBOT provides healing for autism is more complex than this – but in a nutshell it has to do with HBOT’s ability to reduce inflammation in tissues and reduce oxidative stress by increasing the oxygen in the blood flow to damaged tissue. HBOT also has the ability to mobilize stem cells coming from bone marrow, aiding in the body’s neuroregenerative process. In a parent’s words…HBOT helps grow and heal our kids’ brains at the cellular level.

The findings from Dr. Rossignol’s study mirror what we saw after 40 sessions in the chamber with LuLu a year ago. Her receptive language improved (she could understand song lyrics). And her pragmatic skills increased (she solicited more social interaction from peers). And she had a general overall calm state that she could achieve like never before.

We followed up LuLu’s HBOT treatments with several brain-based learning interventions, like Interactive Metronome, The Listening Program, and Fast ForWord. We believe that her time in HBOT increased the benefit of these interventions. About 5 years previous we’d tried The Listening Program for a few weeks and saw no improvement at all. This time it was a different story. We saw a host of improvements.

And we’re not the only ones. Hundreds of parents of children with autism, as well as other developmental and neurological disorders, are trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy, with very positive results.

At the recent ATN conference, Bill Schindler, owner of the Hyperbaric Therapy Center in Georgia both gave a workshop on the use of hyperbarics for treating brain disorders, including RAD, PTSD and other mental illnesses and gave demonstrations of a mild hyperbaric oxygen unit.

Here's where I've talked about HBOT before:

HBOT Is Effective for Bells Palsy
So Many Interventions: So Little Time
HBOT and Autism
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and HBOT
The HBOT May Be Working