Cerebral palsy · Scottsdale & Glendale
Explore the possibilities for movement, communication, and everyday life. Some studies of HBOT in cerebral palsy have reported encouraging gains in motor skills, gait, and language measures.1, 2, 3
At RX-O2, we welcome your questions and the goals that matter to your family. Meet with our hyperbaric team to review the research, discuss suitability, and explore how a plan could fit alongside existing care.
HBOT for cerebral palsy is an off-label use. Research is conflicting: several controlled trials found no added benefit over comparison treatments. It is not an established cure or a replacement for rehabilitation.6, 7, 8
A family’s experience at RX-O2
For Donna, the changes she saw in her son James after treatment at RX-O2 were life-changing.
Donna reports improvements in James’s speech patterns and gait, an ability to walk for longer, and a dramatic improvement in his quality of life.
She is deeply thankful to the RX-O2 team and describes the experience as giving James a new life.
Donna, James’s mother
Family account, summarized by RX-O2.
Changes Donna reported
Every family brings its own priorities. We are here to listen to yours.
Talk with a hyperbaric specialistThis is one family’s reported experience. It does not establish that HBOT caused every change or predict another person’s results. Research has not established a typical improvement in walking or speech from HBOT for cerebral palsy.
Start with what matters to you
A meaningful goal may be a more comfortable movement, easier communication, or greater participation in daily life. These areas offer useful starting points for a consultation.
01 / Gait & balance
A small randomized trial reported better walking and balance measurements when HBOT was added to physical therapy. It involved children who could already walk; it does not show that HBOT will enable a person who cannot walk to do so.1
02 / Motor skills
An observational study found larger gains in gross motor scores in children receiving hyperbaric treatment alongside intensive rehabilitation. Its nonrandomized design leaves uncertainty about how much benefit came from the chamber treatment.2
03 / Communication
A meta-analysis reported favorable language-expression and comprehension results, but rated the evidence very low certainty. Bring your speech-therapy goals, including communication aids, so the discussion reflects your family’s needs.3
04 / Movement comfort
An early pilot study reported improvements in selected hand-function and muscle-tone assessments. These findings are exploratory and provide questions to discuss alongside established spasticity management.4
You do not need all the answers before contacting us. Bring your questions, your current care plan, and what you hope to understand. A consultation can help you weigh potential benefits, uncertainty, practical needs, and costs before making a treatment decision.
Understanding the approach
Cerebral palsy describes a group of conditions affecting movement and posture after differences in, or injury to, the developing brain. Its effects and support needs vary widely.10
HBOT increases the oxygen dissolved in blood during treatment. Researchers are exploring whether oxygen-related changes in brain metabolism, circulation, and signaling can support function in selected neurological conditions.
These mechanisms help explain the research interest. They do not establish that every person with cerebral palsy has ongoing oxygen deprivation or that HBOT can reverse the original brain injury.
At your consultation, the focus is practical: what has been studied, how closely the participants resemble your situation, and whether the potential value justifies treatment for you. Physical, occupational, and speech therapies remain central to an individual care plan.
Explore the published research
The research includes positive clinical reports, newer analyses, and trials with different conclusions. Read what improved, who was studied, and what each result can tell us.
Literature checked
September 12, 2026
2023 · Randomized clinical trial
39 children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy · ages 5–10
Children receiving HBOT plus physical therapy had more favorable gait and balance measurements than those receiving physical therapy alone, including at follow-up. This offers an encouraging finding for families interested in mobility.
The study was small, had no sham-chamber group, and enrolled children in GMFCS levels I–II. Its results do not establish benefit for all mobility levels or for adults.
Read the gait and balance trial2024 · Reanalysis of published studies
44 studies across therapies · four involved hyperbaric treatment
Researchers compared observed motor-score gains with the changes expected from development. Their analysis found encouraging progress ratios in the hyperbaric groups and proposed a different way to interpret earlier research.
This was a comparison across existing studies, not a new randomized trial. Oxygen and pressurized-air groups had similar ratios. Differences in participants, study quality, and accompanying therapies prevent a conclusion that HBOT outperforms standard rehabilitation.
Read the motor-progression analysis2022 issue · Systematic review & meta-analysis
25 studies · 2,146 participants overall · published online in 2021
The pooled analysis favored HBOT on selected motor, developmental, and language measures. Different outcomes used different subsets of the included participants.
The authors rated the certainty of evidence very low for all assessed outcomes. The findings are promising signals, not a reliable estimate of the improvement an individual can expect.
Read the motor and language review2014 · Controlled observational study
150 children · intensive rehabilitation with or without hyperbaric treatment
All groups improved. Children in the three hyperbaric groups showed larger gains in gross motor function than the rehabilitation-only group, with follow-up over eight months.
Assignment was not randomized, and one chamber group used pressurized air. There was no significant difference among the chamber groups, so the findings do not isolate an oxygen-specific benefit.
Read the combined-rehabilitation studyA 111-child trial found similar improvements with HBOT and slightly pressurized air. A later blinded trial found no gross-motor improvement and no additional functional benefit from HBOT. A 2022 systematic review concluded that the higher-quality evidence did not support HBOT for improving motor or cognitive function in children with cerebral palsy.6, 7, 8
This is why we discuss possible benefits alongside the uncertainty, preserve established therapies, and make the consultation about an informed choice for your family.
In 25 children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, researchers reported improvements in selected gross-motor categories, hand tasks, and muscle groups after HBOT. Without a comparison group, natural development, practice effects, and other care could not be separated from treatment effects. Read the pilot study.
A study in a pediatric HBOT setting reported improvements after a video-assisted caregiver teaching program. The intervention being evaluated was caregiver education. It supports attention to family participation but does not isolate the effectiveness of HBOT. Read the caregiver-education study.
The 111-child trial found gains in both groups without a significant advantage for HBOT. Researchers continue to debate the biological activity of pressurized-air controls. That debate does not establish that HBOT improves outcomes compared with usual care. Read the multicentre trial.
The later trial did not find an added motor or functional advantage for HBOT. The 2022 review assessed study quality and safety and advised against its use for the motor and cognitive outcomes studied. These findings deserve consideration alongside the favorable reports. Read the blinded trial and the systematic review.
Find newer cerebral palsy and HBOT research on PubMed. Results are sorted by publication date; newly listed papers have not necessarily been assessed for this page.
A consultation built around the person
For one person, a priority may be walking endurance. For another, it may be transfers, hand use, or communicating a choice. We want to understand those priorities before discussing treatment.
A licensed medical provider reviews medical history, potential benefits, risks, and treatment suitability. Your rehabilitation and neurology teams can help identify meaningful goals and track progress if HBOT is pursued.
Tell us about an implanted pump or other medical device before your visit. Compatibility must be reviewed for the proposed chamber conditions. Do not change prescribed medicines or stop rehabilitation in preparation for HBOT.
Progress should be meaningful to you. Agree on a small number of goals and record a starting point with the treating team. Follow-up should consider function, comfort, treatment burden, and whether continuing makes sense.
The RX-O2 difference
From your first questions to each treatment visit, our Scottsdale and Glendale clinics focus on medical oversight, patient education, and attentive care.
Medical Director Marvin A. Borsand, DO, FACOS, FACCS, HCC, leads clinical oversight. A licensed medical provider evaluates suitability and prescribes treatment when appropriate.
Our facilities use prescription-level hyperbaric systems, with chamber selection and treatment settings matched to your prescribed plan.
You breathe oxygen through a dedicated mask or hood while the chamber is pressurized with air. Your technicians monitor you throughout treatment.
Our technicians are certified through the National Hyperbaric Safety Association and trained in chamber operations, patient monitoring, and emergency procedures.
Feel more prepared for your first visit
Discuss seating, transfers, mask or hood tolerance, and communication before arrival. Ask which chamber arrangement fits the individual’s needs.
Our team explains pressure changes, ear equalization, and how to communicate discomfort. Pediatric visits require planning for a caregiver; accompanying caregivers also need clearance.
If treatment is appropriate, discuss visits, reassessment, costs, and coordination with existing therapies before choosing a package.
Local care, two Valley locations
Looking for a hyperbaric consultation near Phoenix? RX-O2 offers two locations for patients across the Valley. Call the clinic closest to you for appointment availability and help planning repeat visits.
An East Valley option for patients in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, and nearby communities.
A West Valley option for patients in Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, and nearby communities.
Your questions are welcome
A consultation gives you time to explore the possibilities, ask about the evidence, and understand the practical details.
Some studies report changes in gait, balance, selected motor skills, and language measures. Results differ between studies, and several controlled trials found no added benefit. A consultation can help you understand whether the participants and goals studied resemble your situation. Explore the research.
These are reasonable goals to discuss. The gait trial involved children who could already walk, and pooled language findings were rated very low certainty. Research does not establish that HBOT enables independent walking or speech for a particular person. Keep physical and speech therapy, including communication aids, in the plan.
James’s story reflects one family’s experience. We cannot predict the same changes for someone else or attribute every change to HBOT. There is no established typical improvement to promise. Your consultation focuses on the individual’s medical history, goals, suitability, and a plan for reassessment.
No. HBOT for cerebral palsy is an off-label use. RX-O2 uses FDA-cleared chambers, but equipment clearance does not establish effectiveness or FDA approval for treating cerebral palsy.
Yes. Adults can contact RX-O2 to discuss their goals and medical suitability. Most published CP research described here involves children, so it cannot establish benefits for adults. The evaluating provider will discuss that limitation and how it affects the decision.
Yes, according to the treating team’s plan. Rehabilitation and support for communication, mobility, and participation remain central. HBOT should not displace established therapies, prescribed medicines, or recommended orthopedic and neurological care.
Ear-pressure injury is a particular concern in children. Other risks include temporary vision changes and confinement anxiety; uncommon serious complications include oxygen-induced seizures and lung injury. Tell the provider about seizures, lung disease, ear problems, medicines, and implanted devices. An untreated pneumothorax prevents treatment.8, 12
Discuss this before scheduling treatment. The provider and technicians assess whether a safe approach is possible and explain how the patient or caregiver can signal discomfort. Treatment should not continue through pain. Some patients need additional assessment or a different plan.
Discuss caregiver arrangements during the consultation. Our chamber options include larger walk-in systems, and accompanying caregivers require medical clearance and safety preparation. Electronics and battery-powered devices are not allowed inside chambers. Ask the team about approved comfort items and communication arrangements.
There is no universally established HBOT course for cerebral palsy. The provider discusses suitability, goals, reassessment, and the potential time and financial commitment. Review current pricing and packages after your consultation, and confirm any insurance coverage before purchasing.
RX-O2 welcomes patients and families at our Scottsdale and Glendale clinics. Call Scottsdale at 480-270-6090, Glendale at 623-930-0887, or schedule online.
Bring your questions to RX-O2 in Scottsdale or Glendale. We will help you explore the evidence and take an informed next step.
These references include clinical trials, observational reports, reviews, a caregiver-education study, and safety information. Reviews can include trials listed separately; they are not independent replications. Donna and James’s family account is separate from the research evidence.
Literature checked September 12, 2026. New papers require assessment before their findings are added. This page is a selected research overview. Educational information does not replace diagnosis or an individual treatment plan.
