Dental Management Consideration of Severe Early Childhood Caries in Down Syndrome with Autistic Features: A Case Report

Behavioral problems are reported to cooccur with Down syndrome (DS). Some children need support in oral care due to their intellectual disability. In addition, medical problems are present in DS. All these conditions make it challenging to perform dental care because communication is burdensome, and patients are prone to high-risk infection during dental treatment. A 3-year-old girl with DS and autistic features came to the clinic because she was unable to eat. The echocardiogram showed ASV (-), VSD (-), and PDA (1.5 mm). The intraoral examination revealed severe early childhood caries. The dental treatment was conducted under general anesthesia, which included filling, pulp therapy, and extractions. This case report emphasized the need for a multidisciplinary approach for planning dental treatment for DS children and enhancing the importance of improving oral health to prevent infections caused by oral microbial flora in special needs children.