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Toddler's brain damage miraculously reversed after pool drowning

A toddler has reportedly had her brain damage reversed in what is believed to be a world first.

In February 2016, Eden Carlson managed to get through a baby gate and fall into the family swimming pool, according to Newsweek.

The toddler suffered cardiac arrest after nearly drowning while in the water for up to 15 minutes.

Eden was treated in hospital for a month but showed no response to stimuli.

Eden before her accident and (right) the toddler recovers in hospital. Source: YouTube
Eden before her accident and (right) the toddler recovers in hospital. Source: YouTube

LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine and the University of North Dakota School of Medicine decided one way to reverse the damage was oxygen therapy, with the findings published by Medical Gas Chamber.

It included normobaric oxygen therapy, where levels of oxygen given are the same as at sea level, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), where they are given pure oxygen at pressures higher than that of the atmosphere within a special chamber.

Eden was given normobaric oxygen twice a day for 45 minutes five days after the accident.

Doctors noticed she stopped squirming and appeared more alert.

Eden responds to her mother's voice (left) and (right) she begins to use her arms and legs again. Source: YouTube
Eden responds to her mother's voice (left) and (right) she begins to use her arms and legs again. Source: YouTube

She also started laughing more and was able to move her arms and hands.

After 78 days the HBOT was tried with 45-minute sessions five days per week for five weeks.

After 39 sessions her mother said she was almost back to normal and with physical therapy able to walk and a return to normal speech patterns.

Eden begins walking with assistance after returning home and (right) she is able to stand by herself. Source: YouTube
Eden begins walking with assistance after returning home and (right) she is able to stand by herself. Source: YouTube

An MRI scan a month after the 40th HBOT session showed almost a complete reversal of the brain damage and researchers believe the therapy couple with Eden’s developing brain had activated genes that allowed the brain to recover.

Dr Paul Harch, who treated the toddler, said while this was the first reported reversal of Eden’s type of brain injury, oxygen therapy should be considered for similar cases.

“Such low-risk medical treatment may have a profound effect on recovery of function in similar patients who are neurologically devastated by drowning,” he said in a statement.