PANDAS
Anything that can give you a fever, in the right genetic and immune setting can give you PANDAS - Dr. Rosario Trifiletti
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The PANDAS puzzle: Can a common infection cause OCD in kids?
We are all familar with the manisfestations of strep including the ubiquitous strep throat and if untreated the threat of rheumatic fever. However, like everything else, strep also has its controversies including whether to treat every throat infection with antibiotics. But, have you ever heard of PANDAS? And we're not talking about the ones made in China.
ONE OF THE SCARIEST PARTS about PANDAS is also what makes the diagnosis so controversial. Its trigger is the common strep infection, which is as reliable a part of the grade school experience as recess.
Dr. Robert Fuhlbrigge, a pediatric rheumatologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical…
Resources
How a controversial condition called PANDAS is gaining ground on autism
Some scientists say an immune condition called PANDAS affects as many as 1 in 200 children who have traits similar to those of autism. But many experts contest that figure — and even the condition’s very existence.
Infections May Raise The Risk Of Mental Illness In Children
Researchers have traced a connection between some infections and mental illnesses like schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. New research from Denmark bolsters that connection. The study, published Thursday in JAMA Psychiatry, shows that a wide variety of infections, even common ones like bronchitis, are linked to a higher risk of many mental illnesses in children and adolescents. The findings support the idea that infections affect mental health, possibly by influencing the immune system.
Scientists propose explanation for baffling form of childhood OCD
Scientists may have found a cause for the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in some children, they report. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, or PANDAS, were first proposed in the 1990s. Thought to be triggered by streptococcal infections, they account for an unknown portion of youth OCD cases. But the biology underpinning this disorder has baffled scientists.
A Pediatric Neurology Perspective on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infection and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
We have been personally involved in the evaluation and care of many children with suspected PANDAS or PANS and, thus, can attest to the high level of concern in parents and suffering and impairment for both the affected child and their families. Nevertheless, based on the facts discussed in this article, there remains a pressing need to define better the clinical manifestations, laboratory and neuroimaging findings, therapeutic responses, and clinical course in these disorders.
Scientists propose explanation for baffling form of childhood OCD
Scientists may have found a cause for the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in some children, they report. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, or PANDAS, were first proposed in the 1990s. Thought to be triggered by streptococcal infections, they account for an unknown portion of youth OCD cases. But the biology underpinning this disorder has baffled scientists.
Can an Infection Trigger OCD?
Proposed link between infections and psychiatric disorders is still under review but gaining more recognition, resources among scientists
Can Strep Throat Lead to Behavior Problems?
Can a bout of strep throat lead to serious behavioral problems like obsessive hand washing or odd tics in children? The condition, known as Pandas, for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection, remains a controversial topic among child health experts.
My Son Almost Lost His Mind From Strep Throat
When Melanie's son John started acting strangely, none of the doctors knew what was wrong, until his school nurse spoke up. Internet research revealed that PANDAS — pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcus — is a condition brought on by exposure to the bacteria that causes strep throat, though it may also be caused by a virus or a parasite.
PANDAS and PANS: No easy answers for severe disorders in children
Brandon’s was a “classic” case of PANDAS, first noted almost 20 years ago and named with the acronym for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection. National Institute for Mental Health researcher Susan Swedo and her team reported in an April 2004 article in the journal Pediatrics that “a decade of observations and research” found the new type of pediatric OCD that is triggered by antibodies to group A strep bacteria.
PANDAS: A Scary and Controversial Disorder
Could a sudden, severe change in a child's behavior be brought on by something as common as strep throat? Many experts -- and distraught parents -- say yes. We dig deeper to find out what's going on, and which children are at risk for PANDAS.
PANDAS—Questions and Answers
PANDAS is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. A child may be diagnosed with PANDAS when...
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)
In the last half of the 1990s, a group of clinical researchers, including Swedo et al. (Swedo, et al., 1998; Snider, et al., 2002) at the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) described a subgroup of children who presented with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tic disorders following an infectious illness, in particular after streptococcal infections...
The PANDAS puzzle: Can a common infection cause OCD in kids?
ONE OF THE SCARIEST PARTS about PANDAS is also what makes the diagnosis so controversial. Its trigger is the common strep infection, which is as reliable a part of the grade school experience as recess.
PANDAS Network
Provides education, resources, & support to families of children with PANDAS & PANS. They are also a conduit for researchers to navigate collaborations and the medical community to find information.
PANDAS Sucks
PANDAS Sucks exists to tell our collective story about PANDAS/PANS. How it affects our children. How it affects our families. How it affects us personally and changes us. How it affects everything. How we ALL can heal and recover. We’re all connected. My story is your story, and your story is mine. Let’s tell the world together. Ready…1, 2, 3…GO!
PANS Life
Our oldest child is diagnosed with Lyme Disease and PANDAS/PANS. PANS, or Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, is an autoimmune disease/encephalitis that can be induced by different illnesses: strep throat (PANDAS,) mycoplasma, pneumonia, flu and/or Lyme Disease.
National Institute of Mental Health
PANDAS is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. A child may be diagnosed with PANDAS when...
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