Prevalence, Expression, Assessment, Mechanisms, and Management of Pain in Autistic Children: A Scoping Review.
Published May 9, 2026
A systematic review of pain research in autistic children, finding major gaps in assessment and treatment evidence.
This systematic review examined pain research in autistic children. It included 26 studies from 5,603 citations, but only three treatment studies and one study using self-report assessment.
Evidence on pain assessment and treatment remains limited. The review does not show that pain is simply an autism feature or support broad claims about atypical pain sensitivity.
New, severe, or persistent pain needs ordinary clinical assessment. Support should include accessible communication and individualized ways for a child to report discomfort.
Source: Garriga-Cazorla et al. “Prevalence, Expression, Assessment, Mechanisms, and Management of Pain in Autistic Children: A Scoping Review.” Clinical Journal of Pain. 2025;41(8):e1296. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0000000000001296 (PMID: 40439082).
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