Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus
Evidence: Unconfirmed
Names
PANDAS
PANS
Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder associated with Streptococcus
Description
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus (PANDAS) affect children, adolescents, and young adults who may present with acute onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tics following strep infection. PANDAS is a subset of Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) in which similar symptoms result from a misguided immune response following other infectious or environmental triggers such as the flu, COVID, or tick-borne diseases.
Patient Groups
Bloggers
N/A
Prevalence
US Cases: Unknown.
Typical Age of onset
Age 3-12
Note: The potential for strep reactions rapidly declines after age 12, but it is recognized that PANDAS could develop in adolescents. It is unlikely an adult would experience PANDAS symptoms for the first time, although it has been documented in a recent case study of a participant in Georgetown University’s PANDAS/PANS and Other Neuroimmune Disorders (POND) Brain Bank.
Symptoms
According to the PANS Research Consortium comprised of physicians and researchers from institutions such as Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, and the National Institute of Mental Health, PANS is a clinical diagnosis requiring OCD and/or restrictive food intake as well as two or more of the following symptoms:
OCD and/or tics
Anxiety
Emotional lability
Depression
Irritability
Aggression
Severely oppositional behaviors
Behavioral or developmental regression
Deterioration in school performance, handwriting, or math skills
Sensory abnormalities
Sleep disturbances
Enuresis
Urinary frequency
PANDAS is the acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. PANDAS is a subset of PANS. Guidelines for diagnosing PANDAS include:
Presence of OCD and/or tics
Symptoms begin between age three and puberty
Acute-onset and episodic (relapsing-remitting) course
Association with Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection
Association with Neurological Abnormalities
Source: https://neuroimmune.org/patient-and-family-resources/ what-are-pans-pandas/
Some patients suffer from arthritis and comorbid conditions such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and EhlersDanlos Syndrome (EDS).
References
MedicineNet
National Institute of Mental Health
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