What Happens at a Dental Surgery When the Patient is a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder? An Italian Study.
Maria Grazia Mada Logrieco, Giuseppe Niccolò Ciuffreda, Bruna Sinjari and 6 others
PMID 32880788WHAT IT FOUND
Children with autism were far likelier to fail their first dental visit when they feared the dentist.
Parental fear strongly predicted child fear, and communication difficulties predicted aggression, suggesting anxiety and communication barriers drive poor dental access.
Key findings
01Children with autism and fear of the dentist failed their first visit at a much higher rate than those without fear, with a marginal odds ratio of 7.8.
02Parental fear of the dentist was strongly associated with child fear, with a marginal odds ratio of 4.53, meaning children of anxious parents were far more likely to be anxious.
03Communication difficulties were a significant predictor of aggressive behavior during dental visits for children with autism, with a conditional odds ratio of 3.0.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size for dentists was small (61), and only 39 had treated a child with autism. The study was restricted to one geographic region in Italy, limiting generalizability. The severity of autism symptoms was not accounted for in the analysis. The design is cross-sectional and based on self-reported questionnaires, so it identifies associations rather than proving cause and effect.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high rates of failed visits and aggression as inevitable outcomes of autism. The study links these outcomes to specific modifiable factors like fear and communication barriers, suggesting that better preparation and support could improve dental experiences.