Hyperbaric Oxygen and the Brain Injured Child

Regardless of whether they are traumatic (accidental) or vascular (stroke), all brain injuries share a resulting destruction of brain cells and the formation of idling neurons. Diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system problems requires the ability to distinguish between living and dead tissue.

Dr. Neubauer authored studies which indicate that SPECT imaging with interventional hyperbaric oxygen therapy is useful in identifying recoverable brain tissue in injuries caused by oxygen deprivation, or anoxia.

HBOT can be used as both a diagnostic tool to assess the extent of brain damage and as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation. It has greatly improved the functioning of many patients by reactivating idling neurons surrounding a brain injury site. Conditions which may benefit from treatment include Anoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (AIE), Traumatic Brain Injury, Coma, and Stroke.

HBOT administered as soon as possible after an accident can drastically reduce the amount of injury. Still, patients with years of brain damage have benefited from HBOT, after the cause.

A new era of therapy is advancing for the treatment of neurologically disabled children at Neubauer Hyperbaric Oxygen Center. Research studies from around the world are showing impressive results that by reactivating dormant brain cells, HBOT can have positive effects on many types pediatric brain injuries.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy, or CP, is a general catch-all term for a variety of neurological disorders and physical conditions that affect motor skills, coordination, muscle tone and movement. Children with CP have varyng degrees of physical disability that may include spasticity (stiffness), low muscle tone (hypotonia), and the loss of ability to move and control muscle groups. They may also have related problems including speech disorders, impaired mental development, and seizures.

There are a number of factors that can cause CP, some of which are premature separation of the placenta in utero, the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck, stroke, traumatic birth, prematurity, low birth weight and post partum infection.

These disorders involve a deficiency of oxygen at or around time of birth- either in the later months of pregnancy, at delivery, or during infancy. During early childhood, oxygen deprivation through choking, poisoning, near-drowning, head injury or infection can also cause brain damage that may result in cerebral palsy.

These conditions may cause damage to the brain either through trauma or by restricting cerebral circulation, producing an AIE (Anoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.) This lack of oxygen is devastating to a child's brain. In these cases, Neubauer Hyperbaric Neurologic Center strives to "jump start" the brain with HBOT by providing adequate oxygen to create a better internal environment and encourage optimal development.

The majority of American babies born hypoxic (lacking oxygen) are not given the benefits of HBOT to correct this condition. In several countries in Europe, South America, and the Orient, HBOT treatment is standard accepted medical practice for these children.

In 2002, Dr. Neubauer issued his "Position statement on the use of hyperbaric oxygen for cerebral palsy and the brain injured child."

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY PEDIATRIC CASE STUDIES

These are a few case studies representative of NHNC's results with appropriate patients. Not all patients realize such dramatic benefits from HBOT. HBOT is not a miracle cure. It does offer new hope for many neurologically damaged children, and is a way of ensuring the most complete recovery possible.

Eric C.: Head Injury/ Near Drowning

Eric was a healthy 2 years and 9 months old toddler when he hit his head, fell into a swimming pool, and nearly drowned. Due to the resulting atrophy of his brain, a pediatric neurologist had predicted his outlook for recovery as "zero." After 208 HBO2 treatments, he is much better and has his life back. He continues to improve and is very active.

Amber S.: Prolonged Hypoglycemia/Diabetes

At age 14, Amber suffered prolonged hypoglycemia due to diabetes and seizures. She was unresponsive, needed to be kept in a floor bed and fed through a tube in her nose. It took three people to help her stand. Amber now walks, became self-sufficient again, and was able to attend school after 196 treatments.

Alexandra B.: Traumatic Brain Injury

Alexandra was hit by a car and thrown 80 feet when she was 3 1/2. Although she was initially transported to a hospital which had a hyperbaric chamber, doctors decided to "wait and see." She was not treated with HBO2 there although she had suffered a traumatic brain injury. She was left unable to speak and spastic in her right arm and her legs. After 49 treatments at Neubauer Hyperbaric Neurologic Center, Alexandra was talking and walking.

David S.: Vascular Accident due to Stroke at Birth

A stroke due to a traumatic birth left newborn David with a large infarction in the left hemisphere of his brain. At age 3 1/2 he was cognitively and motorwise disabled, functioned at a 10-15 month level, and was confined to a wheelchair. After 193 treatments, David has shown dramatic improvement and "runs all over the place."

Jason G.: Cerebral Palsy at Birth

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after birth, Jason at nearly seven years had a vocabulary of only 10 words, the mental level of a two to three year old, and he was still crawling. After 61 treatments, he has improved in every way, in both his cognitive and motor skills. Jason is walking.

AIE, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and Stroke in Children

Anoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (AIE)

Every year thousands of children suffer brain damage as the result of near-drowning, choking, near-hanging,near-electrocution, cardiac arrest, cyanide and carbon monoxide poisoning. and lightning strikes. These incidents deprive areas of the brain of oxygen, causing an anoxic ischemic encephalopathy (AIE), which in severe cases results in coma. Swelling cuts off the brain's blood supply, leading to accumulation of toxic levels of cell wastes which further aggravate the swelling. HBOT can, at times, break this vicious cycle by constricting the brain's blood vessels, yet delivering more healing oxygen deep within the tissue to repair AIE damage.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic brain injuries can occur at birth, from shaken baby or battered child syndromes, or from falls, automobile and other accidents. Cerebral edema (swelling) and the rise of intracranial pressure (ICP) are the major problems associated with severe head injuries, causing delicate tissue to press against the unyielding skull. Studies have shown that HBOT initiated soon after acute closed head injuries can reduce mortality by more than 40%, and substantially increase the odds of complete recovery.

Coma

Defined as a state of profound unconsciousness, the most frequent causes of coma in children are near-drowning, choking or other AIE, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, meningitis, and general rupture of the brain vessels. A technique developed by Dr. Neubauer has had impressive initial results, and offers what may be the only hope for patients in long term care whose disease or injury has left them in a persistent vegetative state. Dr. Neubauer's research revealed the evidence that neurons may dwell in an idling state for years. With restored oxygen levels, the idle, lethargic brain cells can become normal again, regaining electrical activity. Dr. Neubauer reported an overall 50% success rate in the treatment of long term coma, with patients showing varying degrees of improvement up to and including returning to society.

Stroke

If Stroke can occur even in pediatric patients, due to traumatic birth, umbilical cord around the neck, accidents, shaken baby syndrome or even vaccine reactions. Stroke is caused by a sudden loss of blood and oxygen to a specific area of the brain, which kills off a central core of brain cells. The cell death and swelling this causes further isolation of adjacent living cells from blood and oxygen, while the living cells also swell in a repeating cycle. These surrounding cells rather than the central core itself can cause much of the stroke patient's disability. If these marginal cells which are viable but not functioning can be revived with sufficient oxygen, substantial and sometimes dramatic recovery may result. Benefits of HBOT that can aid stroke recovery include relief of hypoxia (insufficient oxygen), cerebral edema and spasticity, extravascular diffusion of oxygen, and improvement of micro-circulation.

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