Management of critical care emergencies in children with autism spectrum disorder

Table 1 Selected studies on sensory-friendly environments

Ref.	Type of study	No. and age of patients	Focus	Key findings
Crasta et al[19], 2020	Comparative observational study	69 children, 6-10 years	Sensory processing	Highlighted differences in sensory attention profiles between ASD and neurotypical children
Gonçalves and Monteiro[20], 2023	Review		Auditory sensory alterations	Systematic review showing auditory hyperreactivity in ASD
Gentil-Gutiérrez et al[21], 2021	Cross-sectional	60 children, 3-10 days	Sensory environment and ASD	Emphasized the importance of a sensory-friendly design to reduce distress in ASD children
Riquelme et al[22], 2016	Comparative cross-sectional study	57 children, 4-15 years	Tactile sensitivity	Found abnormal tactile responses linked to increased anxiety in clinical settings
Trevarthen and Delafield-Butt[24], 2013	Review		Sensory movement in ASD	Advocated movement-based therapies for sensory integration.
Pfeiffer et al[25], 2011	Randomized controlled trial	37 children, 6-12 years	Sensory integration therapy	Showed positive effects on sensory regulation in ASD
Nair et al[26], 2022	Case study	87 children, 6-16 years	Lighting and colors	Identified that soft lighting and neutral colors reduced overstimulation
Ikuta et al[27], 2016	Case-control	21 children, 4–16 years	Noise-canceling headphones	Demonstrated that these devices significantly improved coping in noisy environments
Thompson and Tielsch-Goddard[28], 2014	Prospective, descriptive, quality improvement project	43 children	ASD surgical care	Recommended pre-surgery sensory modifications
Lönn et al[29], 2023	Explorative qualitative study	26 children, 6-15 years	Weighted blankets	Found significant improvements in anxiety and sleep
Drahota et al[31], 2012	Review		Hospital sensory environments	Showed improved outcomes through sensory-focused interventions
Giarelli et al[37], 2014	Descriptive observational study	Environmental stimuli	Sensory obstacles in emergency care	Identified barriers to providing sensory-friendly environments

ASD: Autism spectrum disorder.