289: Prevalence of Recurrent Pain in Australian Neurodiverse Youth: Evidence from a National Cohort

Topic: Clinical Science
Subtopic: Non-specific to any diagnosis, Epidemiology, Pain in special populations (e.g. neonates, children, teens, elderly, neurodegenerative diseases)

Background and Aims: Chronic pain affects 11–20% of adolescents and is linked to disability, school absence and mental health challenges. Neurodivergent youth, including those with autism or ADHD, experience chronic pain at nearly twice the rate of neurotypical peers (8.2% vs 15.6-19.9% in US data). Unique pain expression and communication differences create additional barriers to diagnosis and treatment, suggesting actual prevalence may even be higher. However, Australian-specific data remains limited. Understanding the prevalence of chronic pain in neurodiverse youth is essential for inclusive healthcare.

Methods: The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of chronic pain in neurodivergent youth, compared to neurotypical peers. It used cross-sectional data from 4961 Australian 18–20-year-olds, pulled from two cohorts in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Participants self-reported recurrent pain, autism, and/or ADHD, with neurodivergence defined as the presence of autism and/or ADHD. Descriptive statistics were used to examine prevalence rates as well as educational and emotional functioning and health-related comorbidities.

Results: Across cohorts, neurodivergent adolescents reported higher rates of recurrent pain than neurotypical peers (13–16 percentage points higher). Pain was elevated across most body sites, particularly headaches, back pain, musculoskeletal pain, and multiple pain types. Neurodivergent youth also had higher rates of anxiety and depression (18–36 percentage points) and greater psychological distress (higher K10 and PHQ-9 scores). Those with pain missed more school or work (2–13 additional days per year), with the greatest absenteeism observed among youth with co-occurring autism and ADHD.

Conclusions: Chronic pain appears more common among neurodivergent Australian youth, though at lower rates than international figures suggest. Neurodivergent adolescents experience higher rates of pain across multiple body sites, increased psychological distress, and greater school or work absenteeism compared to neurotypical peers. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing the unique pain and mental health challenges faced by neurodivergent youth. Further research is needed to provide updated prevalence estimates, explore underlying mechanisms, and inform inclusive, tailored healthcare approaches that address both physical and mental health needs in this population.

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Presenting Author: Payton Soussa
Submitting Author: Payton Soussa

Senior Author: Professor Steve Kamper

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: No

• Dr Tie Yamato: PhD - The University of Sydney
• Professor Steve Kamper: PhD - The University of Sydney
• Dr Kelsie Boulton: PhD - The University of Sydney
• Sarah Kilgour: MPsyc(Clin) - The University of Sydney
• Dr Laura Montgomery: PhD - The University of Sydney