Autism is a spectrum of developmental or biomedical disorders that affect many parts of the brain. Symptoms begin in childhood and include a variety of social, communication, and behavioral impairments or differences.

Causes of Autism

Scientists little understand how autism occurs. Possible causes have become the subject of heated debate among medical practitioners and patient advocacy groups. Strong genetic ties have been firmly established. More and more practitioners and researchers today are focusing on immune deficiencies, environmental toxins, and foods.

Treatment of Autism with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is emerging as an alternative treatment for autism and recently has been shown to control symptoms in some patients. Proponents hypothesize that HBOT enhances neurologic function by oxygenating the brain or flushing toxins from cells, blood, tissues, and organs. But researchers are just now beginning to conduct well-designed clinical trials and publish compelling findings in peer-reviewed medical journals.

HyperbaricLink Evidence Index for Autism

PubMed.gov 7 citations

HBOEvidence.com 0 appraisals

ClinicalTrials.gov 8 trials

The HyperbaricLink Evidence Index is our at-a-glance summary of the clinical evidence on HBOT for the treatment of specific diseases and conditions. Scoring is based solely on our reading and interpretation of the medical literature.

• Disproved - Strong evidence against using HBOT.
• None - Unfavorable results or no published evidence.
• Scant - Early or mixed results with lingering questions.
• Promising - Repeatedly favorable results urging further study.
• Compelling - Strong body of evidence meriting approval.
• Approved - HBOT indicated and widely reimbursed.

Follow the links to our primary sources to read the papers and analyses that have shaped our views. PubMed.gov lists most all scientific papers published in reputable medical journals. HBOEvidence.com critically appraises key studies in the hyperbaric medical literature. ClinicalTrials.gov lists human clinical trials currently enrolling, in progress, and recently completed.

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