Transcript P.A.N.D.A.S.

By Anne McGoldrick
“P.A.N.D.A.S.” is an acronym, which stands for “Pediatric Autoimmune
Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections.”
It is identified clinically after a person develops several behavioral and motor
symptoms resulting from a strep infection such as Strep Throat or Scarlet Fever.
P.A.N.D.A.S. is developed by an autoimmune reaction to a strep infection. The strep
molecules are recognized to hide from the host immune system by copying host
cells. The immune system recognizes the unfamiliar cells and antibodies, and then
the host cells are attacked because of cross-reactivity. Some of the time, the
antibodies attack the brain cells, causing the patient to develop OCD symptoms,
motor, or vocal tics.
 The chances of developing one or string these neuropsychiatric disorders
are quite rare. Only one in 2,000 children are affected with P.A.N.D.A.S.
 The first case of P.A.N.D.A.S. was diagnosed in the late 1990s. It was named
when a subgroup of children developed sudden cases of OCD symptoms,
vocal, and motor tics, separation anxiety, mood changes, changes in
handwriting, and sleep disturbances (such as insomnia).
 Common treatment plans for P.A.N.D.A.S. include Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT), and certain medications. Antibiotics are of good use when
trying to actually treat the strep infection.
 No one has died from PANDAS, most likely because the disorder is not life
threatening in any way.
You are at risk of developing P.A.N.D.A.S. if you possess a family history of rheumatic
fever; if your mother has a history of having an autoimmune disease, and you are
male in the before stages of puberty.
Due to the symptoms’ resemblance with other neuropsychiatric disorders, it is often difficult for doctors to
distinguish PANDAS from disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Tourette’s Syndrome, and
other tic disorders. However, it should not be that difficult, for there are also notable differences between any of
these. For instance:
 Tourette’s Syndrome is neurological disorder, which can only be diagnosed as such if the patient demonstrates
motor and vocal tics for more than one year continuously. PANDAS, on the other hand, shows symptoms short
term, not for long periods of time.
 Also, for someone to be diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, you must showcase at least two motor tics, and
vocal tics within that long period of time. Motor tics can range from shoulder shrugging, snapping, clapping
your hands, eye blinking or head nodding. Vocal tics may consist of humming, clearing your throat, or yelling a
word or phrase.With PANDAS, you may showcase only one of these tics, or at most two. If you do not
demonstrate at least two motor tics, and one vocal tics, these may be classified as a motor tic disorder, or a
vocal tic disorder.
 I’m just going to throw this in here, so people are not mistaken anymore. When I say that a vocal tic may consist
of yelling a word or phrase, I do not mean a curse word, or an offensive word. That is, to be exact, coprolailia.
Coprolailia actually only affects 10% of those diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, contrary to popular belief,
which is, unfortunately, what Tourette’s is known for. Yelling a word or phrase may consist of yelling a sound,
such as an “f” sound or a “c” sound.
www.medicinenet.com/pandas/articles.htm
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/pandas
My own brain