title: Sensory hypersensitivity in children with high-functioning pervasive developmental disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown that children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) have high rates of sensory hypersensitivity. In addition, a few recent studies suggested that sensory hypersensitivity was related to anxiety or depression. However, most studies had methodological limitations because they included children with mental retardation and did not examine broadband psychopathology. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of sensory hypersensitivity in children with high-functioning PDD (HFPDD) and the correlation among sensory hypersensitivity, various characteristics, and broadband psychopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 132 children with HFPDD (aged 6-15 years, 75% male) that were divided into sensory hypersensitivity (HS) and sensory non-hypersensitivity (non-HS) groups. A logistic regression model was used to examine correlations among sensory hypersensitivity, age, gender, PDD subtypes, socioeconomic status, and broadband psychopathology, including symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 132 children with HFPDD, 65.9% (n = 87) were categorized as HS and 34.1% (n = 45) as non-HS. The most common sensory hypersensitivity was auditory. Logistic regression analyses revealed that sensory hypersensitivity in HFPDD was significantly associated with autistic disorder and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Majority of children with HFPDD exhibited sensory hypersensitivity. Our findings suggested that sensory hypersensitivity may be a core feature of HFPDD and is possibly correlated to symptoms of anxiety and depression. We propose that sensory hypersensitivity in children with PDD should be aggressively assessed.
authors: Eri
authors: E
authors: Futoo
authors: Dai
authors: D
authors: Miyawaki
authors: Ayako
authors: A
authors: Goto
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Okada
authors: Nobuyoshi
authors: N
authors: Asada
authors: Yoshihiro
authors: Y
authors: Iwakura
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Yanagihara
authors: Koki
authors: K
authors: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D055696:Olfactory Perception; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012903:Smell; D013649:Taste; D055697:Taste Perception; D014110:Touch; D055698:Touch Perception; D014796:Visual Perception