HBOT Rules!!!

So here is the MUCH anticipated blog of our first month doing HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy)!!! We are currently 22 days complete and have 8 days left for our 30-day trial. We have completed 66 hours and hope to be able to complete 90 hours by the end of the 30 days (as long as Austin doesn't get sick and can't go inside the chamber).

We are already seeing some improvements and couldn't be happier! :) Let's take a minute to review some Austin Stats. Austin was (for the most part) non-verbal (except for constant babble) until this past January where he began repeating words and short phrases after only 27 days of anti-fungal treatment to eradicate his yeast overgrowth in his GI system. Since beginning HBOT, Austin is now able to request things and get simple needs met!!! PRAISE GOD! For example, he can now tell me what food he wants, when he is thirsty and wants a drink. He can also tell me he is ready to go if he is bored somewhere and can let me know that he wants me to get up and give him more attention. Austin vocabulary is growing and he is able to label many objects and imitate different actions. We have also learned that Austin is quite the singer. :) He just loves to sing all different kinds of songs. Some of his favorites are "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Head Shoulder's Knees and Toes", "Twinkle Little Star", "The Wheels on the Bus", and various theme songs to different cartoons he watches. :) I will try my best to catch him singing on video soon so I can post. He is still a CONSTANT babbler so we hope this fades as more language develops over time.

Austin's teachers at school have also commented that he is much more aware, has more energy, better eye contact, less moody, and able to now transition to new activities with much more ease. This is just AMAZING! Can I get a WHAT WHAT! :) Out little guy is such a hard worker and we are just thrilled that he is (yet again) responding to new biomedical treatment. With that being said, I have to truly thank Austin's AMAZING team of teachers at school. Without them, we would not be nearly at the level we are today without them. YOU ROCK Ms. Jennette, Ms Phuong, Ms. Carolyn, and Ms. Ashley! :)

We will be continuing HBOT for the next 1.5 to 2 years on a schedule of 30 days ON and 21 days OFF. It will be an interesting schedule to keep especially when trying to plan vacations and travel time but WE WILL GET IT DONE. :) I have posted a variety of different pictures from the past 22 days and a little video. ENJOY! :)