Hyperbaric treatment for autism reports significant clinical improvements

Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism has reportedly led to improvements in the condition, though previous studies were uncontrolled. Now, a new study published in the open access journal, BMC Pediatrics, is the first controlled trial to report clinical improvements.

Hyperbaric therapy traditionally involves inhaling up to 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than 1 atmosphere (atm) in a pressurized chamber. In the first randomized, controlled, double-blind multicenter trial, Dan Rossignol and colleagues, from six centers in the USA, studied 62 , aged 2-7 years, to assess the efficacy of hyperbaric in children with .

The children were randomly assigned to either 40 hours of hyperbaric treatment at 1.3 atm and 24% oxygen (treatment group) or slightly pressurized room air at 1.03 atm and 21% oxygen (non-treatment group). Clinical outcomes were evaluated by three different scales: the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, the (ABC), and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).

The study found that children with autism in the treatment group had significant improvements in overall functioning, , , eye contact, and sensory/cognitive awareness compared to children in the non-treatment group.

Rossignol wrote "Hyperbaric treatment is a safe treatment modality at 1.3 atm and ... appears to be a promising treatment for children with autism".

More information: Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, Daniel A Rossignol, Lanier W Rossignol, Scott Smith, Cindy Schneider, Sally Logerquist, Anju Usman, Jim , Eric M Madren, Gregg Hintz, Barry Grushkin and Elizabeth A Mumper, BMC Pediatrics (in press), www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpediatr/

Source: BioMed Central (news : web)

Citation: Hyperbaric treatment for autism reports significant clinical improvements (2009, March 13) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2009-03-hyperbaric-treatment-autism-significant-clinical.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Oxygen therapy might ease pain of migraine, cluster headaches

 shares

Feedback to editors