Eden’s Progress was Remarkable
After just ten sessions, Eden’s mother reported her behavior as “near normal”, except for gross motor function. She also resumed physical therapy in conjunction with HBOT.
“After 39 HBOT sessions, the patient exhibited assisted gait, speech level greater than pre-drowning, near normal motor function, normal cognition, improvement on nearly all neurological exam abnormalities, discontinuance of all medications, as well as residual emotional, gait and temperament deficits. Gait improvement was documented immediately upon returning home. An MRI at 27 days following HBOT session 40 and 162 days post-drowning demonstrated mild residual injury and near-complete reversal of cortical and white matter atrophy.” (2)
Oxygen Therapy
The use of oxygen therapy is controversial. So far, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved the therapy for the treatment of brain injury. The concern is hyperoxia, or too much oxygen. Mechanical oxygen therapy can cause too much oxygen in the lungs, which can damage them. In addition, too much oxygen in the body increases the incidence of free radicals that cause inflammation and can eventually lead to disease. (3)
Research into the practice of short-term hyperbaric oxygen therapy has shown it to be effective in re-oxygenating brain cells in cases of cerebral palsy, chronic toxic and traumatic brain injuries, and autism. (4) Infusing damaged cells with pure oxygen combined with changes in barometric pressure improves poor DNA signaling. This enables genes to work normally. Providing cells their necessary oxygen nutrition to generate new cells and promote healing is the theoretical basis of oxygen therapy.
Eden’s rapid and comprehensive response to HBOT was attributed to her age:
“The synergy of increased oxygen and increased oxygen with pressure in the hormone-rich childhood cerebral milieu is consistent with the synergy of growth hormones and hyperbaric oxygen caused by normobaric and hyperbaric oxygen-induced gene signaling trophic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects on brain tissue.” (Ibid.)
Dr. Harch explained that because intervention began early in a growing child, oxygen therapy was able to reverse the damaged brain before long-term tissue degeneration occurred. He notes with cautious optimism that Eden’s case may be an example of how oxygen therapy—HBOT or normobaric—may promote neurologic recovery of drowning victims. This is very promising news, as drowning is one of the top causes of accidents and death in children under fourteen years of age. (5)
HBOT Isn’t Readily Available
There are few HBOT facilities in North America because this form of therapy is expensive. Plus, it’s still pending approval as a form of treatment for neurological damage and other conditions. In fact, Health Canada acknowledges only thirteen conditions recognized to benefit from HBOT. (6)