ICT to Aid Dental Care of Children with Autism

Dental health in children with autism presents many challenges, due to their different perception of sensory experience and difficulty accepting unknown social contexts. The dental care setting presents strong sound-visual stimulations that can upset a patient with autism, often forcing dentists to administer chemical sedation in order to deliver dental care. In recent years, several technology-enhanced systems and apps have been proposed to help people with autism adapt to new contexts and cope with distressing social situations. Our study explores the potential of personalized digital tools for familiarizing these children with dental procedures and environments, and teaching them how to perform proper oral hygiene at home. A 3-month study to test ICT tools created to control children's anxiety and avoid sedation was carried out involving researchers, developers, dentists, psychologists, parents and ten children with autism observed under natural conditions during their first dental care cycle. The results appear to confirm the potential of personalized technology to reduce anxiety in professional settings, increasing children's wellbeing and safety and encouraging oral hygiene as part of their daily routine.