Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptoms of PANDASWhat Causes PANDAS?How Is PANDAS Diagnosed?TreatmentPrognosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms of PANDAS
What Causes PANDAS?
How Is PANDAS Diagnosed?
Treatment
Prognosis
The onset of PANDAS syndrome symptoms comes on quickly and can include motor and vocal tics, compulsion, obsessions, or a combination.
This article provides an overview of PANDAS syndrome, including its symptoms, causes, treatments, and prognosis.
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PANDAS syndrome symptoms can vary from person to person. The psychological symptoms can include:
The physical symptoms often include:
Further, if a child already has neurological symptoms before being diagnosed with PANDAS syndrome, the symptoms usually worsen.
If you are concerned about new or usual symptoms in your child, contact your healthcare provider orpediatrician.
PANDAS syndrome most commonly occurs after a strep infection. However, research shows that other viral, bacterial, or other illnesses can also cause PANDAS syndrome symptoms to appear.
Usually, our immune systems produce antibodies to fight an infection when we get sick. However, with PANDAS syndrome, the antibodies overreact and misguidedly attack healthy tissues in the brain.
The attack on healthy brain cells leads to an autoimmune condition that directly affectscentral nervous system(CNS) function. The effect can be seen almost immediately in the child, presenting a drastic change in personality, or causeOCD,anxiety, and other neurological issues.
There are no blood tests or labs to make or confirm a PANDAS syndrome diagnosis.
However, if PANDAS syndrome symptoms have been present for at least one week, a blood test can determine if the child had a recent strep infection.
A healthcare provider will make a clinical diagnosis based on specific diagnostic information, which includes that the child:
How Strep Throat Is Diagnosed
Treatment and Recovery
The first step requiresantibioticstotreat the strep infection.
A throat culture can determine if the child has strep in the throat. If the culture is positive, a single course of antibiotics will usually cure a strep infection. As the strep resolves, PANDAS syndrome symptoms should as well.
In some cases, a strep culture may come back negative. If that happens and a child is having PANDAS syndrome symptoms, a healthcare provider will usually ensure the child doesn’t have a different infection, such as:
Strep may be harder to resolve in areas other than the throat and may require a longer course of antibiotics.
Strep is abacterial—not a viral—infection. Antibiotics are necessary to cure strep throat. The condition will linger without antibiotics, and PANDAS syndrome symptoms can worsen.
After starting antibiotic treatment, children with PANDAS syndrome usually see a slow and gradual improvement in symptoms.
Children who later get another strep infection can have a reemergence of symptoms. But with antibiotic medications, PANDAS syndrome symptoms can resolve again.
Symptom duration often depends on how severe the symptoms are. Once antibiotics are started, symptoms usually last from several weeks to months.
Every case of PANDAS is different, so it’s essential to discuss prognosis expectations with your healthcare provider.
Summary
PANDAS stands for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections. It is a childhood disorder in which the immune system overreacts after an illness, causing an inflammatory response in the brain. As a result, antibodies attack healthy brain tissue.
This condition presents with a fast onset of neurological symptoms, such as obsessive-compulsive traits, tics, loss of motor skills, personality changes, and more.
Treatment begins with antibiotics to address the strep infection. Upon starting antibiotics, children usually have a slow and gradual improvement in symptoms over several weeks to months.
A Word From Verywell
Having a child with a PANDAS diagnosis can be frightening and overwhelming for loved ones. Fortunately, PANDAS syndrome is treatable, and symptoms can resolve over time.
Remember that strep throat is a very common infection for children. Most kids get it at some point. The presence of strep throat does not mean your child will get PANDAS syndrome. But if you notice a sudden onset of neurological symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Mental Health.PANDAS - questions and answers.Dop D, Marcu IR, Padureanu R, Niculescu CE, Padureanu V.Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (review).Exp Ther Med. 2020;21(1):94. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9526PANDAS Network.What is PANDAS?.Prato A, Gulisano M, Scerbo M, Barone R, Vicario CM, Rizzo R.Diagnostic approach to pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS): A narrative review of literature data.Front Pediatr. 2021;9:746639. doi:10.3389/fped.2021.746639Cooperstock MS, Swedo SE, Pasternack MS, Murphy TK.Clinical management of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome: Part III-treatment and prevention of infections.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2017;27(7):594-606. doi:10.1089/cap.2016.0151
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Mental Health.PANDAS - questions and answers.Dop D, Marcu IR, Padureanu R, Niculescu CE, Padureanu V.Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (review).Exp Ther Med. 2020;21(1):94. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9526PANDAS Network.What is PANDAS?.Prato A, Gulisano M, Scerbo M, Barone R, Vicario CM, Rizzo R.Diagnostic approach to pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS): A narrative review of literature data.Front Pediatr. 2021;9:746639. doi:10.3389/fped.2021.746639Cooperstock MS, Swedo SE, Pasternack MS, Murphy TK.Clinical management of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome: Part III-treatment and prevention of infections.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2017;27(7):594-606. doi:10.1089/cap.2016.0151
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute on Mental Health.PANDAS - questions and answers.Dop D, Marcu IR, Padureanu R, Niculescu CE, Padureanu V.Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (review).Exp Ther Med. 2020;21(1):94. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9526PANDAS Network.What is PANDAS?.Prato A, Gulisano M, Scerbo M, Barone R, Vicario CM, Rizzo R.Diagnostic approach to pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS): A narrative review of literature data.Front Pediatr. 2021;9:746639. doi:10.3389/fped.2021.746639Cooperstock MS, Swedo SE, Pasternack MS, Murphy TK.Clinical management of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome: Part III-treatment and prevention of infections.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2017;27(7):594-606. doi:10.1089/cap.2016.0151
National Institute on Mental Health.PANDAS - questions and answers.
Dop D, Marcu IR, Padureanu R, Niculescu CE, Padureanu V.Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (review).Exp Ther Med. 2020;21(1):94. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9526
PANDAS Network.What is PANDAS?.
Prato A, Gulisano M, Scerbo M, Barone R, Vicario CM, Rizzo R.Diagnostic approach to pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS): A narrative review of literature data.Front Pediatr. 2021;9:746639. doi:10.3389/fped.2021.746639
Cooperstock MS, Swedo SE, Pasternack MS, Murphy TK.Clinical management of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome: Part III-treatment and prevention of infections.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2017;27(7):594-606. doi:10.1089/cap.2016.0151
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