Monday, October 1, 2012

HBOT parent testimonial

Well, our first attempt at the hyperbaric oxygen treatments this past Monday was not very successful, and neither was Wednesday.  Lila is all about baby steps :-)  She peeked in it, looked in the little window and actually got in the chamber for a minute or two (after I promised her that we would not close it and turn it on).  Today we tried again, and this time Matt took her.  She got in the chamber, with full resistance, but would not sit down.  We are going to try a few things at home to make her more comfortable, and see if we can make it happen later in the week.

Below is another parent testimonial with tons of great information!!!  The information below is the reason we think it is so important for her to try it for a bit...

My son, Hunter, is currently 14 years old and has CP.  He has had 468 hours in many different types of HBOT chambers.  We started in a mono chamber when he was a toddler.  They fill the entire chamber with 100 % Oxygen where he had 87 hours with in two years.  He has had 203 hours in a multiplex chamber in three different facilities within 5 years.  This is where the child wears a hood and breaths 100 % Oxygen.  We then located a soft sided chamber in our home town and he did 78 hours in five months.  We bought him a home chamber last August and he has done 100 hour in his own bedroom.

We read a study that compared the depths of the chambers and the results in the children.  A Doctor in India had 120 CP children.  They were divided into four groups.  All groups received the same PT and OT services.  Group one also received 1.75 ATA, group two received 1.50 ATA and group three were in a home chamber.  Group four were the placebos who received no HBOT.  His findings were all 120 children improved from the PT and OT therapies.  The children with 1.75 and 1.50 ATAs improved in both motor and cognitive skills however  more significantly in motor skills.  The children in the home chamber improved in both motor and cognitive skills however  more significantly in cognitive skills. His final findings were the improvements in motor and cognitive skills were better for the children who received HBOT and not enough difference to say 100% Oxygen or Room Air was better.

I can forward you the study and what I wrote above is my version and words breaking down his study into a paragraph.  What the study means to me is  exactly what we saw in Hunter when he was in the different chambers.  His motor skills improved in a mono and multiplex chamber with cognitive skills improving second. Where in a home chamber his cognitive skills improved with motor skills still improving but not as great as in the 100% environment. (But still very good)

The study in India explained the difference in results could have come from the air they breathe.  Comparing 100% Oxygen in a mono chamber or hood to an Oxygen Concentrator combined with natural Carbon Dioxide in a home chamber.

This also explains why the USA studies have been inclusive.  The studies try to ‘fool’ the parents by compressing the chamber so they are unaware if their child is in the placebo group..  Both the children receiving 100% Oxygen and those breathing room air will improve.  You are right to talk to parents.

My sons results have been numerous and remarkable improvements or we would not have continued the HBOT treatment.  It is difficult for a mother of four to pack up and leave for a month at a time so her child can have HBOT not to mention the expense.  I have been with my son for every hour in a chamber and my personal health is very good for someone being 51 years old.  So buying a home chamber was as much for mom, the caregiver, as for Hunter.  Even though we have a home chamber I feel it is important to do the deeper depths as well. I would like to bring Hunter to a free standing chamber and do another 40 hours at least two more times in the next few years.

My opinion is get your granddaughter into a HBOT chamber whether it is a free standing chamber or a home chamber.  The changes are well worth any money invested in the child.  Therapies that are working to better her now will dramatically improve after being in a HBOT chamber.

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