Another autism controversy… Some parents are trying hyperbaric chambers as a treatment for their autistic children. While still unproved as a remedy, there have been reports that this type of therapy, which boosts the amount of oxygen in the child’s brain, has improved the functioning of some autistic children and is not physically dangerous to them, although it can be dangerous to the parent’s financial health at $100 to $900 per treatment.
A small study looked at 56 children, ages 2 to 7, who had varying degrees of autism. Each received 40 one-hour treatments. Thirty of the children had the pressure in the chamber increased by 30 percent, while the 26 children in the control group had the pressure increased by only 3 percent. Results showed that 30 percent of the children who received the treatment reported “greatly increased functioning,” while 8 percent in the control group did.
Others in the field remain skeptical. Read more…
Posted by Carrie Pollare
Source: ABC News
Tags: Autism
