Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often display an abnormal reactivity to tactile stimuli, altered pain perception, and lower motor skills than healthy children. Nevertheless, these motor and sensory deficits have been mostly assessed by using clinical observation and self-report questi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Neural Plasticity |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1723401 |
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| author | Inmaculada Riquelme Samar M. Hatem Pedro Montoya |
| author_facet | Inmaculada Riquelme Samar M. Hatem Pedro Montoya |
| author_sort | Inmaculada Riquelme |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often display an abnormal reactivity to tactile stimuli, altered pain perception, and lower motor skills than healthy children. Nevertheless, these motor and sensory deficits have been mostly assessed by using clinical observation and self-report questionnaires. The present study aims to explore somatosensory and motor function in children with ASD by using standardized and objective testing procedures. Methods. Tactile and pressure pain thresholds in hands and lips, stereognosis, proprioception, and fine motor performance of the upper limbs were assessed in high-functioning children with ASD (n=27) and compared with typically developing peers (n=30). Results. Children with ASD showed increased pain sensitivity, increased touch sensitivity in C-tactile afferents innervated areas, and diminished fine motor performance and proprioception compared to healthy children. No group differences were observed for stereognosis. Conclusion. Increased pain sensitivity and increased touch sensitivity in areas classically related to affective touch (C-tactile afferents innervated areas) may explain typical avoiding behaviors associated with hypersensitivity. Both sensory and motor impairments should be assessed and treated in children with ASD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3f57b2531e7e4e508aab8298ad6d70f0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-5904 1687-5443 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neural Plasticity |
| spelling | doaj-art-3f57b2531e7e4e508aab8298ad6d70f02025-02-03T01:22:11ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432016-01-01201610.1155/2016/17234011723401Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum DisordersInmaculada Riquelme0Samar M. Hatem1Pedro Montoya2University Institute of Health Sciences Research (IUNICS-IdISPa), University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainClinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Brugmann University Hospital, 1020 Brussels, BelgiumUniversity Institute of Health Sciences Research (IUNICS-IdISPa), University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, SpainChildren with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often display an abnormal reactivity to tactile stimuli, altered pain perception, and lower motor skills than healthy children. Nevertheless, these motor and sensory deficits have been mostly assessed by using clinical observation and self-report questionnaires. The present study aims to explore somatosensory and motor function in children with ASD by using standardized and objective testing procedures. Methods. Tactile and pressure pain thresholds in hands and lips, stereognosis, proprioception, and fine motor performance of the upper limbs were assessed in high-functioning children with ASD (n=27) and compared with typically developing peers (n=30). Results. Children with ASD showed increased pain sensitivity, increased touch sensitivity in C-tactile afferents innervated areas, and diminished fine motor performance and proprioception compared to healthy children. No group differences were observed for stereognosis. Conclusion. Increased pain sensitivity and increased touch sensitivity in areas classically related to affective touch (C-tactile afferents innervated areas) may explain typical avoiding behaviors associated with hypersensitivity. Both sensory and motor impairments should be assessed and treated in children with ASD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1723401 |
| spellingShingle | Inmaculada Riquelme Samar M. Hatem Pedro Montoya Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Neural Plasticity |
| title | Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| title_full | Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| title_fullStr | Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| title_short | Abnormal Pressure Pain, Touch Sensitivity, Proprioception, and Manual Dexterity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| title_sort | abnormal pressure pain touch sensitivity proprioception and manual dexterity in children with autism spectrum disorders |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1723401 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT inmaculadariquelme abnormalpressurepaintouchsensitivityproprioceptionandmanualdexterityinchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorders AT samarmhatem abnormalpressurepaintouchsensitivityproprioceptionandmanualdexterityinchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorders AT pedromontoya abnormalpressurepaintouchsensitivityproprioceptionandmanualdexterityinchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorders |