Chronic Pain in Autism: A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the current research on chronic pain in autistic individuals, including epidemiology, assessment, and management.

We conducted a search of the following electronic databases: PubMed/MedLine, CINHAL, PsychINFO, PubPsych, Scopus, and Web of Science, from inception to 31 July 2024.

A total of 5603 citations were identified, 87 articles were deemed eligible for further assessment, and 26 articles were included in the final review. Of these, 13 provided data about the epidemiology of chronic pain, 10 were related to pain assessment, and 3 focused on chronic pain treatment. The most commonly studied locations of chronic pain were the abdomen and the head. The assessment tools used were frequently completed by parents or professionals/researchers and only 1 study used self-reported measures. Three studies were on psychological interventions applied to the management of chronic pain in autistic individuals.

The results of this study provides initial insights into chronic pain in autistic individuals, and show that they experience conditions such as chronic abdominal pain and migraines as the general population does. It also highlights challenges to the accurate assessment and treatment of chronic pain, and emphasizes the need for heightened clinician awareness, early identification, and personalized management strategies.