Oral defensiveness in children with autism spectrum disorders at Biruku Foundation, Bandung

Background: Oral defensiveness (OD) is a reaction to avoid stimulation of touch, texture, or taste of certain foods and feeling irritated with any activities involving the mouth in general. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have OD have difficulty with anything that involves touching in and around the child’s mouth. OD can lead to fight or flight reactions including screaming, aggressive behavior, and withdrawal in an effort to avoid stimuli. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess OD in children with ASD at the Biruku Foundation, Bandung. Methods: A descriptive study with a cross-sectional approach using total sampling technique was conducted with the parents of 24 children with ASD at the Biruku Foundation, Bandung with inclusion criteria—children with ASD who had been diagnosed by a pediatrician—and exclusion criteria—parents of children who were unwilling to participate. The research used an Oral Sensory Processing Questionnaire by Winnie Dun (1999) with a total of 12 questions. Respondents filled out the questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. Results were classified into three categories: typical, probable, and definite. Results: A total of 10 respondents (41.7%) were classified as typical (normal), 6 (25.0%) were classified as probable (moderate), and 8 (33.3%) were classified as definite (OD). Overall, 14 children with ASD (58.3%) were classified as having OD. Conclusion: Most children with ASD at the Biruku Foundation, Bandung have OD.