Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Complaints of Auditory Hypersensitivity

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a set of alterations in social communication, with varied manifestations that affect the social and communicative development of individuals, resulting in behavioral changes, restricted and stereotypical interests (Kanner, 1969). It is a neurodevelopmental disorder with various sensory-perceptual alterations, including auditory hypersensitivity, a prevalent sensory alteration in the ASD population (Danesh et al., 2021), defined as excessive or abnormal sensitivity and distress to sensory stimuli that are evident in the individual’s behavioral reactions (Stefanelli, Zanchetta, Furtado, 2020). Objective: This research aimed to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and complaints of auditory hypersensitivity. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study, composed of 108 children with a diagnosis of ASD and complaints of auditory hypersensitivity. The sample consisted of children of both sexes, aged 4 to 12 years. Data were collected through a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire completed by the caregivers. The study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee under the approval number: 5.862.943. Results: The study included 108 children with ASD and complaints of auditory hypersensitivity, 76 (70.4%) of whom were male and 32 (29.6%) were female, with an average age of 7.3 years. The majority of participants were in the first stage of elementary school (65, 60.2%). The results also showed the presence of comorbidities in 48 (44.4%) cases, with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) being the most frequent. Additionally, 87 (80.5%) of the children were undergoing some type of therapeutic intervention, with Speech-Language Therapy being the most common, cited by 75 (69.4%), followed by Psychology (73, 67.6%) and Occupational Therapy (63, 58.3%). Table 1 presents the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the children with ASD. Conclusion: The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics suggest a high prevalence of males in autism, the presence of comorbidities associated with the disorder, and the pursuit of therapeutic intervention in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and complaints of auditory hypersensitivity. Reference: Danesh, A. A., Howery, S., Aazh, H., Kaf, W.; Eshraghi, A.A. (2021). Hiperacusia nos transtornos do espectro do autismo. Audiol. Res. 11, 547-56, doi: 10.3390/audiolres11040049