Re: Re: PANDAS FAQ

[Guest guest]

That was VERY informative!  I'm going to have to sit down with hubby and show

him that and all the other info I've pulled together from the last two days and

convince him my daughter needs to see a specalist in PANDAS.  

Karin

I touch the future---I teach. -Christa McAuliffe

Subject: Re: PANDAS FAQ

To:

Date: Saturday, May 22, 2010, 6:53 AM

 

There's a PANDAS support group and the members have collectively written

this:

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6265

and a flow chart about treatments

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=6688

Here's an excerpt from the FAQ

Children with PANDAS must be initially diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive

disorder or a tic disorder [swedo2004]. These children may have some of the

following symptoms that accompany the OCD or tic disorder

[swedo1998][Moretti2006]:

* Obsessions (e.g., preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling,

often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety)

* Compulsions (e.g., an irresistible impulse to act, regardless of the

rationality of the motivation)

* Choreiform movements (e.g., milk-maid grip, fine finger playing movements

in stressed stance)

* Emotional lability (e.g.,irritability, sudden unexplainable rages, fight

or flight behaviors) (66%)

* Personality changes (54%)

* Age inappropriate behaviors particularly regressive bedtime fears/rituals

(50%)

* Separation anxiety (46%)

* Oppositional defiant disorder (40%)

* Tactile/sensory defensiveness (40%)

* Hyperactivity, impulsivity, fidgetiness, or inability to focus (40%)

* Major Depression (36%)

* Marked deterioration in handwriting or math skills. (26%)

* Daytime urinary frequency/enuresis (12%)

* Anorexia (particularly fear of choking, being poisoned, contamination

fears, fear of throwing up)

PANDAS/OCD is a clinical diagnosis, often marked by the sudden onset and extreme

symptom exacerbations (such as an increase of +18 points on the OCD CY-BOCS

score during an exacerbation [2004]). The abrupt onset and remission after

eradication of streptococcal infection separates the child from non-PANDAS

OCD[swedo2004]. Many parents can pinpoint a day or a week when behaviors changed

[ & #1047;engel-K & #1100;lt & #1100;r2009]

When a child has primarily vocal and motor tics, the symptoms may appear to

overlap with symptoms of Tourettes Syndrome; however, the children can be

differentiated by observing symptom exacerbations over time [Pavone2006]. In

PANDAS children, a streptococcal infection precedes symptom exacerbation and

once treated, initial exacerbations generally remit. The rapid onset with

significant remission is characteristic of PANDAS.

Researchers have described chronic PANDAS [Pavone2006] where the tics and/or

obsessive-compulsive disorder have a much more gradual course. These cases are

difficult to separate from non-PANDAS tics or OCD. Some researchers have found

other immunologic markers (anti-neuronal and anti-basal-ganglia antibodies) that

help separate PANDAS and non-PANDAS children[Kirvan2006].

As for a cure, most parents prefer to work for remission. But there are several

young adults who had this as kids or in the teen years who are now describing

themselves as cured.

>

Lastly can it be cured?

>