An oversensitivity to noise can lead to safety issues, including self-harm, harm to others, and seizures, in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to preliminary research by the Interactive Autism Network. The research on auditory hypersensitivity was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, earlier this week.

The researchers analyzed data from surveys completed by the parents of more than 800 children with ASD, aged 3 to 17 years, in IAN.