This widely-cited multicenter trial enrolled 62 children with autism in a double-blind protocol. The treatment group received 1.3 ATA — the lowest pressure typically used clinically. Even at this gentle pressure with only slightly enriched oxygen, the children in the active group showed improvements in receptive language, eye contact, and social interaction. The study is influential because it established that you do not need 2.0 ATA chambers to get neurological benefit — a finding that drives the modern home-chamber industry, which centers on the well-tolerated 1.3 to 1.5 ATA range.
RCT
2009
From the library
Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism — multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial
Rossignol DA, Rossignol LW, Smith S, Schneider C, et al.
BMC Pediatrics n = 62 1.3 ATA 40 sessions
Plain English
This widely-cited multicenter trial enrolled 62 children with autism in a double-blind protocol. The treatment group received 1.3 ATA — the lowest pressure typically used clinically. Even at this gentle pressure with only slightly enriched oxygen, the children in the active group showed improvements in receptive language, eye contact, and social interaction. The study is influential because it established that you do not need 2.0 ATA chambers to get neurological benefit — a finding that drives the modern home-chamber industry, which centers on the well-tolerated 1.3 to 1.5 ATA range.
Key findings
What the trial documented.
- Improvements in receptive language, social interaction, and eye contact
- Demonstrated efficacy at low pressure (1.3 ATA) and ambient oxygen
- Established that mild HBOT can be effective even with reduced oxygen concentration
Protocol used
1.3 ATA, 24% oxygen, 60-minute sessions, 5 days/week for 40 sessions
Full citation
Rossignol DA, Rossignol LW, Smith S, Schneider C, et al.. Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism — multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. BMC Pediatrics. 2009.