Scientists have varying opinions on why the therapy is so successful as a treatment for the condition. Some theories suggest that the brain in some children with Autism, as well as Cerebral Palsy and other neurological disorders, is lacking oxygen and in a dormant, or sleeping state due to lack of blood flow.
HBOT, in Hyperbaric oxygen chambers, forces oxygen into tissues throughout the body including brain tissues and fluid, resulting in a re-awakening of dormant areas of the brain.
Other theories state that excessive swelling in the brain results in a lack of oxygen causing cerebral impairment that can cause behavioral problems, confusion, etc. Oxygen is forced into these damaged areas, through the pressurization of hyperbaric, which alleviates brain swelling by constricting blood vessels.
In addition, hyperbaric is thought to provide an optimal environment to assist in the regeneration of brain tissue. Medical researchers are discovering promising results with the effects of hyperbaric therapy on persons, especially children with Autism.
