PANS: Researchers issue definition - and name change - for PANDAS

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Researchers issue definition - and name change - for PANDAS.

<http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-pandas-ocd-20120224,0,19588.s\

tory>

A mental illness that strikes young children suddenly may be caused by a

range of factors, including infections, according to a new report. The

paper, published in the journal Pediatrics & Therapeutics, reflects a

consensus statement on a condition called Pediatric Autoimmune

Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections --

or PANDAS.

PANDAS causes the abrupt onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in young

children. In many cases, children fell ill after having a simple,

childhood streptococcal infection, such as strep throat. The illness has

been controversial, however, with some researchers suggesting that the

children have traditional child-onset OCD and that infection is

unrelated to the mental illness. Others, however, maintain that

sudden-onset child OCD, and perhaps other mental illnesses, may have

causes related to infection or immune-system dysfunction and, thus, may

be treated rapidly and successfully with therapies that address the

underlying problem....

The

paper

<http://ocfoundation.org/uploadedfiles/MainContent/About_OCD/PANDAS%20to%20PANS%\

20-%20Final%20form%20for%20Pediatrics%20%20Therapeutics%202012.pdf>

lists five criteria that must be met to diagnose a child and suggests

how doctors should proceed with such cases. Many questions about PANS

remain, but the paper and the growing awareness of the condition should

steer more children into appropriate treatment....

- - - -

From Research Subgroup to Clinical Syndrome: Modifying the PANDAS

Criteria to Describe PANS

(Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome)

E. Swedo1*, F. Leckman2 and Noel R. Rose3

Swedo et al., Pediatr Therapeut 2012, 2:2

http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0665.1000113