“Why Chronic Pain is So Common Among Neurodivergent Youth” [Video Replay & Podcast #577]

Episode Description

Chronic pain is more common in autistic children and teens with and without ADHD than it is in neurotypical youth. Conditions such as migraines, gastrointestinal pain, and musculoskeletal pain occur at significantly higher rates in neurodivergent populations, yet these symptoms are often overlooked or misunderstood by medical professionals and caregivers.

Emerging research suggests that autistic children and teens with and without ADHD may be more susceptible to developing chronic pain, perhaps because differences in sensory processing, emotional regulation, and communication shape how they experience and express pain. These unique factors can make it challenging for caregivers and health care professionals to recognize and address chronic pain in neurodivergent individuals.

If left unaddressed, chronic pain can profoundly impact a child’s daily life — affecting academic performance, physical function, social relationships, and emotional well-being.

In this webinar, experts in autism, ADHD, and chronic pain will provide insights into the science and lived experiences of children navigating these overlapping challenges. In this webinar, caregivers and professionals will learn:

• Why chronic pain is more common in autistic children with and without ADHD: How sensory differences, stress, and co-occurring conditions like anxiety may contribute to pain.
• How pain presents in unique ways: Why autistic children with and without ADHD may express or experience pain differently — and how this can make it harder to recognize.
• The impact on daily life: How chronic pain affects school, social interactions, and emotional health, and how pain-related distress may show up as irritability, withdrawal, or other behaviors.
• Strategies to reduce pain’s impact: Evidence-based approaches for caregivers, including medical interventions, coping tools, sensory supports, and environmental adjustments.
• How to communicate with doctors and teachers: Tips for navigating the healthcare and school systems and advocating for appropriate supports.

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Webinar Sponsor

Play Attention: Research conducted at Tufts University School of Medicine demonstrates that Play Attention improves attention, behavior, executive function, and overall performance. Harnessing cutting-edge NASA-inspired technology, Play Attention offers a customized program for both children and adults.  Your dedicated Focus Coach will tailor a plan for each family member to improve executive function and self-regulation. Home and professional programs are available. Take our online ADHD assessment or schedule a consultation | www.playattention.com

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

 Chronic Pain, Autism, and ADHD: Resources

• Free Download: The ADHD-Autism Link in Children
• Read: Autism in Girls: Why Signs of Neurodivergence are Overlooked
• Read: How ADHD Can Intensify Physical Health Conditions
• Read: Comorbid ADHD Complicates Most Diagnoses and Treatment Plans
  

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on September 9, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speakers

Gloria T. Han, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She also serves as a pediatric pain psychologist in the pediatric pain clinic at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, where she collaborates with physicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists to support a high proportion of children and teens navigating autism, ADHD, and pain-related challenges. Dr. Han’s clinical and research efforts focus on the intersection of autism and chronic pain, particularly how features of autism — such as differences in sensory, emotional, and social information processing — may contribute to an increased vulnerability for chronic pain. By identifying these developmental pathways, she hopes to expand upon current evidence-based strategies for managing chronic pain and develop effective interventions tailored to the specific needs of neurodivergent youth facing these overlapping challenges.

Anna C. Wilson, Ph.D., is a Professor of Pediatrics at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). She is also a pediatric psychologist at the Pediatric Pain Management Clinic at OHSU/Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, which provides multidisciplinary care for children and teens with a variety of chronic pain conditions. Dr. Wilson’s research has focused on the prevention of chronic pain in children and adolescents, with a focus on studying how parents and parenting influence children’s pain experiences. She has also recently conducted work on how pain experiences in young people relate to ADHD symptoms. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon, and the Friends of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Together with health journalist Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Dr. Wilson authored When Children Feel Pain: From Everyday Aches to Chronic Conditions (Harvard University Press, 2022). (#CommissionsEarned) This book tells the story of pain in childhood, why it has been poorly understood even by doctors and nurses, and how we can better support all children and reduce the negative impact of chronic pain.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

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