Monday, 15 March 2010

• Could P.A.N.D.A.S. be to blame for your child's OCD?

  Just a few days ago I posted what I perceived to be an unusual experience with my son Daniel after he had experienced an illness that put him in bed for a couple of days with a fever, sore throat and cough. After receiving a few comments and talking to a friend of mine who also has a young son with autism I was re-introduced to a condition known as PANDAS, which is a cuddly sounding acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections.

  I had first heard of this disorder 10 years ago when my older boy had had a bout of sudden onset anxiety after suffering with strep throat. I had seen it discussed as a new theory on a television show. I immediately googled it and found little information at the time but it all fit so precisely to what we were experiencing at the time.
  

  
  

  Now re-visiting similar symptoms with Daniel I once again googled it and found that PANDAS is now a recognized condition in children. It may explain a sudden onset of symptoms that you have not seen before or a surge or recurrence of symptoms you had seen at one time, they disappeared and now have returned.

  It would be worth taking a look at the following web page that provides a nice overview of the condition.

  * “The children usually have dramatic, "overnight" onset of symptoms, including motor or vocal tics, obsessions, and/or compulsions. In addition to these symptoms, children may also become moody, irritable or show concerns about separating from parents or loved ones. This abrupt onset is generally preceded by a Strep. throat infection.”

  *  http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pdn/web.htm

  
  

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