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Original poster

Aspergers and pain thresholds

26 replies

Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 18:57

My son (5) broke his arm on holiday and didn't cry once.

When he was younger he shut his finger in a door and the finger nail went back - didn't flinch.

He has only screamed in night terrors so I don't count that as crying and sobbing.

He didn't even 'properly' cry (I mean like my daughter)when he was a baby.

He had terrible tonsilitus before he had them out - never cried or appeared distressed at being ill (apart from having a temperature). Also when he has had stomach upsets he just gets up, is sick and goes back to bed or goes back to what he was doing - no distress as such.

I guess what I am asking is do children with AS have higher pain thresholds?

OP posts:
Al1son · 14/09/2010 19:03

I'm not sure that they have higher pain thresholds as such but my DD1 (AS) definitely does not show her pain normally. When she broke her arm she stayed at school for the afternoon and she ended up very ill after a perforated appendix because the consultant didn't think she was in enough pain to have appendicitis and discharged her three times.

StarlightMcKenzie · 14/09/2010 19:17

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Peaceflower · 14/09/2010 19:22

My DD (AS) feels pain acutely, the slightest knock/scratch/bump would be the worst pain ever!

maryz · 14/09/2010 19:34

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Marne · 14/09/2010 19:44

Same as peaceflowers dd, dd1 will howl the house down if she gets the smallest of scratches, if she gets a blister on her foot she will refuse to walk for days.

Dd2 has a higher pain threshold and rarely cries.

TheArsenicCupCake · 14/09/2010 20:13

Ds has broken bones before.. And the only reason I have known to take him to A+E is because of the swelling or colouring that comes up.
He's had a huge deep splinter that got really nasty with infection and he said nothing.
Oh and tooth ache without a flinch

However a paper cut or a flicky bit of skin near his nail and he'll go barmy.

He seems to be hypo on deep pain but hyper on surface pain.

But then there is also the communication issue.. Let alone the sensory processing issue.

Original poster
Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 20:36

This is all so new to us because we are just starting the process of having DS diagnosed.

All this info is so useful as the paed has asked that I complile a list of behaviours/repsonses that I don't think are quite right.

Thought it odd when DS just wanted DS when he broke his arm and was bloody cross when it wasn't in my bag! I have to cut the labels out of everything and he won't wear shorts (!) even in the August heat in Portugal.

Day and night terrors-are these linked to AS? Our son had horrendous terrors. When these stopped he started night time waking (counted 16 times one night) Nothing worked - discipline, rewards, begging etc!!

Constant breast feeding and refusal of a dummy/blanket/conforting toy. He breast fed constantly for 18 months and I had mastitus and all sorts from the relentlessness.

As soon as we went to a playgroup he would want to go home and started saying 'I'm bored' when he could speak. Says 'I'm bored' a lot actually and its embarrassing when its round my mums and he clearly wants to leave after being there for two minutes.

Oh and will not ride a bike or scooter even though his sister bikes to school every day.

Could think of loads more but I don't want to bore you Blush

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Peaceflower · 14/09/2010 20:37

I have at times felt that I may be on the spectrum, in that I can feel awkward socially but have learned to deal with it.

I have not admitted this before, but I gave birth twice without any pain relief, and only felt slight discomfort!

Original poster
Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 20:38

When I say DS wanted DS i meant DS Lite !!

Also wanted to say thanks for all your anecdotal sharing - really helps.

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coppertop · 14/09/2010 20:41

Ds1 feels very little pain except on certain areas of his body (top of head and his hands). It can be quite dangerous, particularly when it comes to gauging how hot something is, and he's burned himself a couple of times without even realising.

Ds2 seems to feel every little thing. Even wearing clothes can be painful if they are made of the wrong material.

Original poster
Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 20:42

OMG Peaceflower - what do you mean you haven't 'admitted' it I think you should be proud of the fact that you didn't have pain relief (no disrespect to those that did as I am one that had everything going!!) I guess when we are helping our children we naturally find out so much about ourselves.

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maryz · 14/09/2010 20:51

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Peaceflower · 14/09/2010 20:52

Shugar, I meant I listened and nodded when everyone spoke of the pain, and said nothing Blush of my relatively "easy" experience.

Original poster
Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 21:00

Sorry Peaceflower - misunderstood - hope I haven't offended Blush

It is so hard to explain and understand - I feel a bit bad about the playgroups now as he may have been having an unpleasant experience.

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Peaceflower · 14/09/2010 21:09

Shugar, No offence taken.

kidsncatsnwine · 14/09/2010 21:36

My DS2 once tried to eat an NHS cheese sandwich (think rock solid brick) immediately after waking from an op to remove 7 teeth (not cos they were bad..they had embedded in his jaw due to some weird condition)...

Impacted bowel... he ended up hospitalised because no one knew he was that bad, and docs dismissed it for ages because he didn't go ow when they poked him...

Multiple chest infections.. we only know he's getting ill when it's at the point he can't stand up because he doesn't ever say.

I don't know if he can't FEEL it or whether it just doesn't register in his head..

hormonesnomore · 14/09/2010 21:42

Don't know if this will help understanding but my ex-h has AS and doesn't really feel pain or cold - until it's pointed out to him.

I would say things like 'you must be in a lot of pain with your broken leg' - he hadn't felt it until I expressed it for him. He won't feel cold or heat until someone says that it's very cold or extremely hot.

It's as if it just doesn't occur to him to feel something till another person does. It appears that he has a phenomenal pain threshold but it's as if he just doesn't experience the feelings himself until they're suggested by others.

Original poster
Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 21:54

You have just reminded me kidsncatsnwine my son woke up from his op to have his tonsils removed and ate a piece of toast straight away - he is always saying he is hungry anyway and he would eat all day if he could. The nurse was shocked he could eat it so quickly.

This is all really helpful

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ArthurPewty · 14/09/2010 22:24

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Original poster
Shugarlips · 14/09/2010 22:37

Any experience of day and night terrors?

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moosemama · 14/09/2010 23:48

We never know ds1 is ill until he is on his last legs so-to-speak. He had atypical scarlet fever twice last year. The first time we had absolutely no idea he was ill until he collapsed at school. The second time we only found out because he stuck his tongue out at his brother and it was bright red and lumpy! Shock

He's another one that tends to throw up and then go straight back to normal as if nothing has happened.

On the other hand, if I try to brush his hair, he screams the place down its so painful to him and if he has the slightest dint on his finger he's convinced he needs rushing to hospital immediately.

Much like others have said, he seems undersensitive to deep or serious pain and illness but hypersensitive to surface level pain.

MistsandMellowMilady · 15/09/2010 00:51

I think I'm like DS. Can't stand light touches such as getting my nails done - in his case a hair cut, but can generally break a limb and carry on.

Well for a bit. I've had a broken arm for a few days because I was too busy to go to hospital and a broken coccyx which I soldiered on with despite passing out several times. It healed though.

I'm like it with illness too. When I was expecting DS I had pleurisy and hallucinations. DH went to work with no worries even though I was delirious. I didn't make it clear taht I was quite ill.

I had Scarlet Fever as a teen and I was supposed to rest a bit but nobody was looking after me so I went to a festival and danced in the rain.

I survived but the upshot is that I am very scornful of Manflu and have made it clear that I won't tolerate it. Weirdly DH has yet to catch it!

DS is strangely insensitive to heat and cold and does have night terrors.

He gets hysterical having his hair or nails cut but I don't know about him and serious injuries because he is oddly very coordinated. Honestly, the only time he hurts himself is when my niece knocks him flying because she's very unsteady herself.

It's an interesting discussion.

MistsandMellowMilady · 15/09/2010 00:55

It's also more terrible for boys to have haircuts. It only occurred to me today but when you're a girl the hair dresser might just tip your fringe but generally leave your scalp and ears and hairline alone.

I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover why DS gets so hysterical when it's something I have never experienced myself. I am crap Sad

borderslass · 15/09/2010 07:24

DS broke his collarbone 3 years ago we only found out 3 days later because he was quiet and watching TV not playing on his consoles or PC.

ArthurPewty · 15/09/2010 07:58

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