PANDAS is an acronym that stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections.

Roughly 1 in every 200 children in the USA alone have PANDAS.

Signs of PANDAS can be different for each person, causing both behavioral and neurological symptoms. These are some of the most common symptoms.

• Anxiety

• OCD

• Aggressiveness

• Depression

• Sleep problems

• Tics or unusual movements

• Sensory issues

• Loss of academic skills

• And many more

Click here to see a visual of PANS/PANDAS symptoms created by Aspire

Treatment for PANDAS needs to be based on the symptoms and severity of the patient. The treatment approach usually involves three parts: Treat Symptoms, Remove Inflammatory Source, and Treat Immune System Dysregulation. This may include the following:

• Antibiotics

• IVIG - Intravenous Immunoglobulin

• Steroids

• Tonsillectomy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulatory medications

• Dietary Changes

There is limited research on PANDAS, and the condition is often misdiagnosed. Also, PANDAS is sometimes overlooked by clinicians who assume that there is not an underlying medical cause for the patient’s psychiatric symptoms.

From donations to simply reading about PANDAS. The more knowledge that’s spread about PANDAS the more families will get the help they need when they need it.