Acute pain experience in individuals with autism spectrum disorders: A review

Abstract

In addition to the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, a number of clinically important comorbid complaints, including sensory abnormalities, are also discussed. One difference often noted in these accounts is hyposensitivity to pain; however, evidence for this is limited. The purpose of the current review therefore was to examine sensitivity to pain of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. This review is interested in reports which consider differences in subjective experience of pain (i.e. different pain thresholds) and differences in behavioural response to pain (i.e. signs of pain-related distress). Studies were included if they were conducted with human subjects, included a clearly diagnosed autism spectrum disorder population and reported data pertaining to pain experience relative to the neurotypical population. Studies were classified as being self/parent report, clinical observations, observations of response to medical procedures or experimental examination of pain. Both self/parent report and clinical observations appeared to report hyposensitivity to pain, whereas observations of medical procedures and experimental manipulation suggested normal or hypersensitive responses to pain. This review suggests that contrary to classical reports, individuals with autism spectrum disorder do not appear to have systematically altered pain responses or thresholds. More systematic experimental examination of this area is needed to understand responses to pain of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

“…(a) Approximately half of the children in the ASD group were unable to complete self-report measures. Previous research does indicate that youth and adolescents with ASD can successfully self-report pain utilizing faces pain scales (Moore, 2014). However, due to the introspection required to self-report pain this task may be difficult in children with ASD; therefore, it is suggested that finding should be supplemented by other measures (Moore, 2014).…”

“…Previous research does indicate that youth and adolescents with ASD can successfully self-report pain utilizing faces pain scales (Moore, 2014). However, due to the introspection required to self-report pain this task may be difficult in children with ASD; therefore, it is suggested that finding should be supplemented by other measures (Moore, 2014). In anticipation of this possibility, we included measures from the dentist, researcher, and child perspectives as well as the collection of physiological data.…”

Autisme et douleur : état des connaissances et conséquence pratique

“…Des revues de la littérature récentes et exhaustives dénombrent moins d'une vingtaine d'études sur ce sujet [2,3]. Différents types de recherches sont à identifier.…”

A preliminary study of the genes related to aggression and insensitivity to pain in autism spectrum disorders

“…Insensitivity to pain has been included as one of the diagnostic criteria in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) since May 2013 [11]. The prevalence of insensitivity to pain is approximately 25-40% in ASD [12]. ASD patients may react to stimulations from one or more senses (taste, touch, hearing, sight, etc.)…”

“…ASD patients may react to stimulations from one or more senses (taste, touch, hearing, sight, etc.) excessively or may be unresponsive [11,12]. The patients can be highly insensitive to pain or tolerant to pain [13].…”