Autism and Unusual Response to Pain

Atypical, unequal reactions to pain. Mom who has raised severely-autistic son gives valuable insight into world of severe autism

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[CDFoakley]

Yes, Jamey may appear in his own world, but who can blame him? Perhaps many autistics, especially those on most severe side of spectrum are more severe because they may have, let's say, just a few neurotransmitter off than being higher functioning. Look, we are all in this together. Aspergers and autism and all need love, respect, hope, tolerance and acceptance.

[LettyVLO1]

I understand. Stephen bites his toenails off and won't reacts to pain. But if he has a small pimple, he will scratch it off and cry cause the bump is still there. He goes into full blown meltdown.

I hope Jamie is feeling better Hun.

[CDFoakley]

@LettyVLO1 How is Stephen doing?

[pshepherd58]

I know what you are talking about. My son is 20 and autistic. He gets mad sometimes and hits himself between the legs but if he gets a scratch on him he goes wild.

[CDFoakley]

@pshepherd58  Is this you son's last year at school?

[suekosa]

I'm the same way, I freak out over a paper cut but I won't notice my wrist burning on a hot iron. It's my sensory processing disorder that causes that.

[CDFoakley]

@suekosa  Well said.

[SepherStar]

Not that severe autism and Asperger's Syndrome are really comparable, but most people with Asperger's Syndrome who have hypersensitivity absolutely cannot stand sock seems. Conversely, I've heard the scrotal area can swell considerable without causing discomfort because there's room to accommodate the fluid.

[streamofawareness]

(continued) I think my oddity is I don't cry out when something hurts. I get quieter. The only pain I vocalize is monthly women pains. (Ibuprofen only works if I take it before those come on, and I don't always have enough warning!) I sit and hum quietly. It's really, really weird. I guess it's because screaming and yelling makes my body tense and makes any pain I have worse.

[streamofawareness]

I know how that goes. It's really annoying that I can fall and scare the crap out of people, but I get up and laugh. I guess I have strong bones. I get bruises and don't even know how I got them! But give me a canker sore or a cat scratch and you'd think you started World War Three with me! Pain takes away from my processing ability, so I get overstimulated faster. Also, LIGHT touches on my skin feel like hot butter knives. I hate it! I much prefer a firm touch and let ME initiate it first.

[9999necron]

Its because the thimerosal (mercury is deep within their bodies where there central nervous system is. Thus they're constantly dealing with an extreme internal physical pain which interrupts what would be a normal human being responding to physical stimuli of the outside world.

[queenfan45]

While all this is going on, you can hear jamey doing whatever he does.

[momadukie]

Advil the only way!!! Aleve doesn't even work on me and I'm stuck with hours of waiting to give my son anything else for pain. Advil best non narcotic. The smallest bump can cause SIB or if he is bored.

[rslnvss]

i have the same issues with pain when i cut myself there's a huge response but when i brake a bone the response is less

[PinkPunkyKat]

I know what you mean. I am autistic myself and have nearly cut my fingers off and haven't noticed until the room looked like a crime scene. I had my wisdom teeth out with a local but when I was loosing baby teeth, I was in extreme pain. I had to take Tylonel for loose teeth, not new ones coming in.