Oxygen therapy may benefit children with autism

A team in the US have found that 40 hours in a hyperbaric chamber improves eye contact and social interaction in children with autism compared to controls. The team could not show if the results were long-lasting, but have called for further investigation into the possible treatment.

One theory is that oxygen can help reduce inflammation and improve flow of oxygen to brain tissue. Hyperbaric treatment - effectively giving high concentrations of oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure - has been shown to have some benefit in other neurological conditions such as foetal alcohol syndrome and cerebral palsy.

In the latest study, carried out at six centres in the US, 62 children aged two to seven with autism were randomly assigned to receive 40 hours of treatment over a month with 24% oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure (1.3 atm) or normal air in a slightly pressurised room (1.03 atm).

Children who received the treatment showed significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, eye contact, and sensory or cognitive awareness.

In all, 30% in the treatment group were rated by doctors as "very much improved" or "much improved" compared with 8% of those in the control group.
Overall, 80% in the treatment group improved compared with 38% of controls.