Hyperbaric and Autism

So off to the DAN dr we went today.  Middle of Vancouver…that place stresses me out.  But the doctor was super nice and thorough and we have a plan!

First we need to do two tests on him.   An organic acids test where they test their urine for a crapload of different things including nutrients, candida, etc etc etc.  Then there’s a food sensitivity blood test which is a finger prick and they send the blood in.  No idea how all this works.

So after the tests we start our hyparbaric oxygen therapy which I will, from now on, refer to as HBOT.  We will have to go 5-6 times a week for a total of sixty visits.  Holy moly batman.

Then sometime in there we’re going to do a toxic element test which looks for heavy metals and such.

What does HBOT actually do to the body and why do I insist Silas get it?  Well, where do I begin?

Under regular atmosphere pressure, oxygen is only soluable in blood.  When under sea-like pressure, oxygen is soluable in all bodily fluids.  You breathe through an oxygen mask, reciving high amounts of oxygen that are then able to move to every cell of your body.  And we all know, oxygen heals.  It can reduce swelling, repair the blood/brain barrier, and stabilize cell membranes.  It can also increase the ability of the white blood cells to clean up damaged areas and, over a long period of time, create a new supply of blood vessels 🙂

For Silas, who came out of my tummy in a very traumatic way, was totally blue and had a low low heart rate for a very long time…his APGAR score was SO LOW, I forget what it was but it was like…dead low…then it shot back up.  This causes hypoxia where parts of the brain didn’t get enough oxygen at a critical time.  HBOT can get oxygen to these parts of the brain and heal them also preventing more damage.*

Here’s some stats from some recent studies.

• In a June 2006 study at the University of Virginia, 18 autistic children underwent 40 one-hour sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. These researchers noted significant improvements in energy, communication, motivation, mannerism, speech, sensory and cognitive awareness and overall health.
• In the October 2006 issue of Family Practice News, a landmark study was presented on hyperbaric oxygen therapy and chronic brain injury. Daily living, socialization, communication and motor skills significantly improved for 21 brain-injured children (average age 4.5 years) who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy compared with 21 brain-injured children who received standard therapy alone.
• In a November 2000 study at Cornell University, 26 children with cerebral palsy underwent 40 one-hour sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The results showed hyperbaric oxygen provided substantial improvements in motor skills, attention, language and play.

Taken from here.

They’ve also noted SIGNIFICANT changes in tantrums, which I would LOVE to see go away.

So…WOOT.

She’s also got him on Co Q10 which I just picked up on my way home.  Silas is swallowing 9 pills a day now…but I’m seeing such a difference in him.  Melatonin works WONDERS for getting him to completely pass out at night.  It’s amazing.

Sounds exciting, right?  Dr Amen also uses this therapy on his patients with autism causing noticeable changes in their brain scans.  He sends his Canadian patients to where Silas is going.  Cool huh?

I have no idea how this will all work, how we’ll pay for it and how I’ll get him there 6 days a week.  But we’ll do it.

*taken from the Canadian Hyperbaric Institute HBOT Patient Guide