PANDAS/PANS Awareness!
PANDAS/PANS awareness day was on 10/9/24!
This made me reflect upon how many children I have seen seriously afflicted with this.
PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Strep infections and PANS- Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome- similar symptoms to PANDAS but not caused by Strep.
They commonly present between 3-12 years old and affect approximately 1 in 200 kids.
Unfortunately, there has been significant resistance in the medical field to accept the research and evidence supporting the existence of this debilitating condition for kids and their families.
These kids present after exposure to Strep, another infection, allergen, or toxin with an abrupt onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as motor tics, obsessive-compulsive thoughts, anxiety, aggression, sensory processing disturbances, trouble focusing, sleep and eating disturbances, and deterioration in handwriting and school performance
The treatment is geared toward treating the underlying cause which with PANDAS is Strep and with PANS is any other infection or irritant that can cause inflammation of the brain.
After treating the root cause, inflammation of the brain persists due to antibodies produced by the infection attacking an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia which governs emotional and motor control.
There is typically a three-pronged approach to tackling the condition: treat the root cause, reduce the inflammation, and ameliorate the psychiatric symptoms.
Conventional and integrative approaches with therapies such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, psychotropics, and supplements are implemented in addition to a healthy diet, exercise, and improving sleep to help mitigate neuroinflammation.
Many kids struggle for some time before finding a practitioner that recognizes and understands that PANDAS/PANS is a legitimate serious condition requiring a personalized approach.
If you have any concerns about your child or someone you love being affected by PANS/PANDAS, please contact me and I’m happy to support them.
