Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a session in which the patient breathes oxygen inside a chamber at a pressure higher than normal air pressure. At WIN, HBOT is one of the Phase III therapies Dr. Báez-Franceschi may include in a treatment plan to support healing and brain function in children, teens and adults. It is available at our centers in Houston and San Juan, always after a medical evaluation and under physician supervision.

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

In everyday life, most of the oxygen in your blood travels attached to red blood cells. When a person breathes oxygen at higher-than-normal pressure, more oxygen dissolves directly into the plasma, the liquid part of the blood. That is the basic idea behind HBOT: more oxygen reaches tissues, including the brain, than they would normally receive. WIN uses it to support the body's own repair processes alongside the rest of the plan.

HBOT is not a cure for any neurodevelopmental condition, and it is not a stand-alone treatment at WIN. Research on hyperbaric oxygen for conditions such as autism and brain injury is ongoing, and results vary from person to person. It is also not the same as the oxygen concentrators or masks sometimes sold for home use; HBOT is a medical therapy that requires screening and supervision.

Who hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps

WIN includes HBOT in plans where supporting oxygen delivery and recovery makes sense for the individual patient. Families most often see it in plans for:

• Brain injuries, including concussion and traumatic brain injury in children, teens, athletes and adults
• Neurological disorders, in coordination with the patient's neurologist
• Autism, as one component of a broader medical and therapeutic plan
• Autoimmune disorders, when the physician considers it appropriate
• Adult wellness and healthy aging through our anti-aging program

HBOT is prescribed, not purchased à la carte. Whether it belongs in your child's plan, and how often, is decided after the Phase I medical evaluation, specialized labs and WIN's neurodevelopment evaluations.

What a session looks like at WIN

HBOT sessions take place in person at our Houston and San Juan centers. A session typically lasts around an hour. The patient enters the chamber, the pressure is raised gradually, and then the patient simply rests and breathes while the oxygen does its work. Children often sleep, listen to music or watch a show. A parent may be able to accompany a young child during the session; our team will explain the arrangement at your center.

The most noticeable sensation is pressure in the ears as the chamber pressurizes and depressurizes, similar to the feeling during takeoff and landing on an airplane. The team teaches children how to equalize by swallowing or yawning, and the pressure changes are done slowly so the child can keep up.

Before anyone begins HBOT, Dr. Báez-Franceschi screens for conditions that would make it unsuitable. In general terms, these include certain ear and sinus problems, active colds or congestion, specific lung conditions and some other medical situations that the physician reviews case by case. The number of sessions in a block is set by the individualized plan.

How it fits the Franceschi Method®

HBOT belongs to Phase III of the Franceschi Method®, Multisensory and psycho-emotional therapy. It comes after the medical and nutritional protocols of Phase II are in place, because the method's logic is to address the medical causes first and then stimulate the brain with measured therapies.

In practice, HBOT is rarely used alone. Depending on the plan, it may be combined with PEMF to support cellular energy and recovery, neurofeedback to train attention and regulation, and work in the therapeutic gym for balance and motor skills. Progress is measured constantly using WIN's neurodevelopment tests, standardized tests and the ongoing observations of parents, and the protocol is adjusted as the patient changes. Parents receive reports and training as part of the team.

What families can expect

HBOT blocks are done in person, so families from outside Houston or San Juan typically plan a stay around the therapy schedule, while medical follow-ups can often continue by telemedicine for patients in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. Early changes families sometimes describe include better sleep, more energy or improved alertness, but these vary and are never guaranteed. What WIN commits to is measuring, reporting honestly and adjusting the plan based on what the tests and your observations show.

If you are wondering whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy belongs in your child's plan, the first step is a conversation. Request an orientation at our Houston or San Juan center and we will walk you through how the evaluation works and what to expect. Contact us to get started.