These days, hyperbaric therapy is emerging as an add-on to other similar treatments available for autism. In this article, you will go through a case series including the true story of Daniel and Lanier that scientifically supports hyperbaric therapy for autism.
Isaiah, a 16-year-old boy was diagnosed with autism at the age of 19 months. Daniel and Lanier, the heartbroken parents of Isaiah tried their best to give their son a better life. In 2004, Lanier decided to attend a conference organized by the Autism Research Institute (ARI). Being a doctor by profession, Daniel was greatly moved by this conference and he started to research autism. Eventually, Daniel and Lanier came to know about hyperbaric therapy for autism. They bought a hyperbaric chamber for both of their children Isaiah and Joshua (the younger one was also diagnosed with autism).
When Isaiah started hyperbaric treatment, he could say only one word at a time. After going through several sessions, Daniel found his boy saying, “Open the gate please.” What Daniel was feeling at that time can’t be expressed in words, no doubt, a heavenly feeling was. This marked improvement in Isaiah made Daniel conduct an intense study on hyperbaric therapy for autism. He studied all the systematic reviews about autism treatment. Some physicians were not ready to accept any therapy or nutritional supplement as an effective remedy for autism.
As an outcome of his study, Daniel found that metabolic and similar other issues related to autism can be treated. Isaiah is not alone, many children have benefited from hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT. The number of benefited children could have been increased if sufficient studies were conducted on this particular issue.
Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview
Autism has been defined as a wide array of neurodevelopmental conditions marked by difficulties in social skills, interactions and non-verbal communication, and repetitive behaviors.
In most cases, the symptoms of autism appear between 2 to 3 years of age. Sometimes, it can be diagnosed after 18 months just like in the case of Isaiah. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 68 children has been suffering from autism in the United States. It has been reported that ASD is about 4.5 times common among boys than girls in the United States. Not only the US but the entire world is under the threat of autism. The dominance of autism is found to be increasing by almost 3.8% every year.
Hyperbaric Therapy: An Overview
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment that makes the patient inhale 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than 1 ATA in a hyperbaric chamber. This therapy increases oxygen in the plasma and body tissues. It can also normalize ischemic tissue.
There are two types of hyperbaric chambers – monoplace hyperbaric chambers and multiplace hyperbaric chambers.
A monoplace chamber is designed to hold only one patient at a time. This kind of chamber is designed with a pressure-safe acrylic tube. Transparent walls of this chamber provide the clinical supervisor with a clear view of the patient, and the patient, in turn, can relax in a stress-free environment. A multiplace chamber allows more than one patient at a time. In this kind of hyperbaric chamber, normal air prevails over the atmosphere. These days, multiplace chambers can be found to be integrated into the hospital architecture giving an impression of treatment rooms.
Hyperbaric Therapy for Autism
Several studies have claimed that cerebral hypoperfusion, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress are common problems noticed in autistic children. Hyperbaric therapy helps to combat hypoperfusion, has extraordinary anti-inflammatory effects, and significantly reduces oxidative stress. It can mobilize stem cells from the human bone marrow. All of these things greatly contribute to the overall improvement of autism.
Cerebral Hypoperfusion
A study was conducted on 23 children of 28 to 92 months who had the diagnostic characteristics of autism. This study has shown that irregular blood flow to certain areas of the brain might be associated with several clinical findings related to autism. These findings include repetitive and stereotypical behavioral patterns, impairments in communication, social interaction, etc. It is quite difficult to point out the exact reason behind irregular blood flow. According to some scholars, it might be due to certain changes in cerebral arterial resistance. In the normal state, cerebral blood flow can be found to be increased only when local brain tissue metabolic rate and functioning increase. Cerebral hypoperfusion may lead to hypoxia.
Hyperbaric therapy delivers oxygen that can reverse this worse condition created by cerebral hypoperfusion. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy simultaneously increases cerebral oxygen tension and increases brain recovery from ischemia.
Neuroinflammation
A link between autism and neuroinflammation has been revealed by several recent studies. In the case of autistic children, inflammation is not only confined to the brain. Autistic children can make remarkably more serum antibodies against peptides (both gliadin and caesin) in comparison to the rest. It generates more pro-inflammatory cytokines, and as an outcome, an imbalance between CD4+ and CD8+ takes place. In addition, some autistic kids often suffer from mucosal inflammation of the stomach. These children have a high chance of developing proinflammatory cytokines.
Several studies on animals have claimed that HBOT has positive effects on inflammation-affected tissues. It has been found that HBOT can decrease the symptoms of advanced arthritis in rats. Surprisingly, thirty HBOT sessions at 2.0 ATA have been given to get remission of ulcerative colitis, which was not reverting to the traditional therapies. It is relevant in the present context since children having autism may show a sign of improvement in gastrointestinal mucosal inflammation.
Oxidative Stress
HBOT has multiple effects on oxidative stress, including enhancement in the production of antioxidants and reduction of malondialdehyde that causes oxidative stress.
The Final Takeaway
This review aimed to find out how beneficial is hyperbaric therapy for autism. With the help of several studies, it has been established that parents worried about their autistic children should give HBOT a chance.
Do you want to explore different aspects of hyperbaric therapy? Keep an eye on the upcoming articles!
