Study the Need of Pharmaceutical Care for Pain in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Background: A heterogeneous neuropsychiatric disorder called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently accompanied by significant behavioral disorders that might vary significantly in how they react to pain. It is primarily unknown how to quantify pain in people with ASD. An effective pain evaluation in this population will ultimately lead to more effective pharmaceutical pain management strategies. Aim: The current study aims to identify the need for pharmaceutical care in children with ASD by evaluating their pain and correlating the autism score with the pain score. Materials and Methods: In total, 73 ASD children between the ages of 3 and 14 were enrolled in this study. The pain was evaluated using the non-communicating children’s pain checklist-revised (NCCPC-R). The statistical analysis was carried out with the aid of Microsoft Excel. Results: The mean age of participating children is 6.3 ± 3.25 years (mean ± standard deviation) in this male population is dominating. The total score of NCCPC-R of more than 6 was 93.2% of the children indicating pain. The degree of pain is directly proportional to the degree of autism. Conclusion: Most children reported pain scores were greater than average, indicating that they could require pharmaceutical care to control their discomfort. It is strongly advised to conduct additional research using this technique’s multicenter prospective use in real-world settings with observations of “real-life” pain events.