Down syndrome: huge progress with photobiomodulation
In a previous article , I told you about a case study concerning the use of photobiomodulation on 3 children with Down syndrome. The results published in 2019 were very encouraging! If you are not familiar with this therapy, I would like to tell you about it. advises to start by reading this page before continuing.
A video summarizing the progress observed in these carriers of Down syndrome, following photobiomodulation therapy
I contacted Dr. Cassano, the author of this scientific paper, to get an update on these children. He kindly responded and offered me a video of a speech he gave at the end of 2020, during a conference at the Synchrony Virtual Symposium.
Below, I offer you an excerpt from this video, which I translated and subtitled in French. In this passage of a few minutes, Dr. Cassano reports to us all the progress observed on these children with Down syndrome, following photobiomodulation therapy.
Video Transcript
Editor's note: start of transcription
Now what about safety? Safety and long-term safety. We don't have a lot of experience with autism, for children and adolescents, over the long term. So I'm going to present some data, from a different cohort. From a different group, from a case study of Down syndrome with transcranial photobiomodulation.
About 4 years ago I was quite shocked when I received this email from a friend and colleague in Italy. Dr. Piero Mannu, who had tried photobiomodulation in some of these children with Down syndrome.
And he showed me incredible progression of improvement in fine motor skills. Which was accompanied by better behavioral control and better mood regulation.
So this child was asked to draw a portrait of her doctor.
- And here she is, during her initial visit (editor's note: first from the left)
- 14 days later, after treatment (editor's note: second image from the left)
- 28 days (editor’s note: third image from the left)
- Then after 2 cycles (editor's note: image on the right)
But this is not the only case. Another child was invited to draw this spiral.
- Here is before treatment (editor’s note: middle image)
- and here after the treatment (editor's note: image on the right)
But that wasn't quite the reason why I was presenting this data to you. The reason why I'm presenting this data is that I just called Piero Mannu again. I was coming home from work a few days ago, I wanted to know more and see what happened, during all this time. If the treatment was safe. If he was continuing it, or not.
Very surprising results for these children with Down syndrome following photobiomodulation therapy
And after talking with Piero, my jaw dropped and kind of hung there, when I heard the things he had to say:
- Not only was it safe and no adverse events had occurred
- but the cognitive function of these children had improved steadily overall.
- Academic performance had improved
- socialization, speed flow, motor function.
- Even their growth.
- They were slightly taller than their peers with Down syndrome.
- They probably had better immunity,
- with fewer infections
- and even the facial features were less pronounced.
It was amazing! And what was most interesting was that last year Dr. Mannu changed the treatment schedule. He went from a 4-week cycle, every 2 to 3 months, to a one-month cycle. So one month on, one month off. And that was because the children themselves, or the teenagers now, were asking for it. They felt the difference.
Editor's note: end of transcription
New study on the use of photobiomodulation on adults with Down syndrome
Following these encouraging results, Dr. Cassano informed me that he is currently conducting a new scientific study. This time, the objective is to analyze the effects of photobiomodulation on adults with Down syndrome. I will give you more information in a future article.