Autistic Children and Their Abnormal Reaction to Pain and Discomfort
As parents of kids with high-functioning autism, we may be familiar with the mystery of their unequal reaction to pain and discomfort. A stubbed toe or paper cut may set off a disproportionate pain response (e.g., hysterical crying or screaming). But, a burst ear drum or broken arm may go seemingly unnoticed. As moms and dads of kids on the spectrum, we may be baffled by this unequal response to pain stimuli. Anecdotal evidence from parents worldwide is full of reports on this topic. Some of the perplexing behaviors that such children exhibit include: Crashing into walls and/or people Having an unusually high or low pain threshold Putting inedible things (e.g., rocks, paint) into their mouth Screaming if their face gets wet Throwing tantrums when parents try to get them dressed These and other abnormal behaviors may reflect sensory processing problems in which the high-functioning autistic child is overwhelmed because of difficulty integrating information from the se