What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial to evaluate if hyperbaric oxygen therapy could help children with autism.
What They Found
After 40 sessions, the hyperbaric treatment group showed significant improvements in physician-rated overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, and eye contact compared to controls. Specifically, 30% of the treatment group was rated "very much improved" or "much improved" by physicians, versus 8% of controls, and 80% showed improvement compared to 38% of controls. Parents also reported significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive language, and eye contact, and the treatment group improved on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist for irritability, stereotypy, hyperactivity, and speech.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
While a controlled trial, this study's findings would benefit from replication in larger, more diverse populations and longer-term follow-up studies.