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Controlled Evaluation of the Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on the Behavior of 16 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been used to treat individuals with autism. However, few studies of its effectiveness have been completed. The current study examined the effects of 40 HBOT sessions at 24% oxygen at 1.3 ATA on 11 topographies of directly observed behavior. Five replications of multiple baselines were completed across a total of 16 participants with autism spectrum disorders. No consistent effects were observed across any group or within any individual participant, demonstrating that HBOT was not an effective treatment for the participants in this study. This study represents the first relatively large-scale controlled study evaluating the effects of HBOT at the level of the individual participant, on a wide array of behaviors.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by The Thoughtful House Center for Children, The Center for Autism and Related Disorders, and an anonymous donor.

Conflict of interest

One author (Bryan Jepson) used HBOT in some patients outside of the research trial as part of his clinical practice at the Medical Center at Thoughtful House and derived revenue from those patients. No other conflicts of interest are present.

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Author notes

  1. Scott Braud, J. Helen Yoo & Michael S. Allen

    Present address: New York State Institute for Basic Research, New York, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thoughtful House Center for Children, Austin, TX, USA

    Bryan Jepson, Carol Stott & Andrew Wakefield

  2. Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc., 19019 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA, 91356, USA

    Doreen Granpeesheh, Jonathan Tarbox, Melissa L. Olive, Scott Braud, J. Helen Yoo & Michael S. Allen

  3. HOPE Reach, Holland, MI, USA

    Scott Braud

  4. Connecticut Behavioral Heath, Middletown, CT, USA

    Michael S. Allen

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  1. Bryan Jepson
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  2. Doreen Granpeesheh
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  4. Melissa L. Olive
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan Tarbox.

Additional information

Clinical Trials Government Identifier: NCT00406159.

Andrew Wakefield is no longer affiliated with The Thoughtful House.

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Jepson, B., Granpeesheh, D., Tarbox, J. et al. Controlled Evaluation of the Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on the Behavior of 16 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 41, 575–588 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1075-y

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