PANs/PANDAS
Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome/Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections
Quick Facts
Statistics
-
It is estimated that 1 in every 200 children in the US may have PANDAS/PANS
-
Based on data from 700 cases, 69% of patients diagnosed with PANDAS/PANS were 4-9 years old
Causes
-
Autoimmune antibodies mistakenly attack brain (basal ganglia) to fight other infection or from a vaccine (strep throat, H1N1, mono, lyme, & more)
Symptoms
-
Dramatic, overnight onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms
-
OCD symptoms
-
Acute handwriting difficulty
-
Frequent urination
-
Separation anxiety
-
Tics & abnormal motor movements
-
Disordered eating or food restriction
-
Treatments
-
Antibiotics: used to treat any active infections, which caused the PANS/PANDAS
-
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
-
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP): treatment plan for OCD
-
- Medications
-
Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors (SRIs): used to treat severe symptoms
-
Helpful Resources:
