PANS And PANDS

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When a sudden, inexplicable illness affects a child’s health, getting an accurate diagnosis, proper treatment and support can make all the difference. This has proven to be especially true in the case of two complex, related syndromes known as Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Since 2012, pediatric rheumatologist Jennifer Frankovich, MD, and child psychiatrists Kiki Chang, MD, and Margo Thienemann, MD, have been evaluating and treating children in our PANS service. Here they describe these syndromes and offer some helpful insights. Please visit our academic site for more information. What are PANS and PANDAS? PANS is …show more content…

How are Stanford Children’s Health experts leading efforts to learn more about PANS and PANDAS through research and clinical care? Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford was the first public institution to start a PANS service in 2012. We hosted the first national PANS consensus conference in the spring of 2013 where we worked to create clear diagnostic guidelines. The second PANS consensus conference was held at the National Institutes for Health in May 2014, which commenced the development of preliminary treatment guidelines. In addition, we have created a database and biorepository, and a team of epidemiologists and scientists who are studying clinical data and molecular mechanisms. What should I do if I think my child has PANS or …show more content…

If the rapid strep is negative, ask for a strep culture. If any of these tests are positive, the child needs to be put on antibiotics for strep. If strep is negative, the child should have blood tests for strep. If the child has had or been exposed to an illness with prolonged coughing, then your pediatrician may consider testing for a bacteria called mycoplasma. See the PANDAS Physician Network for more information regarding treatments. If you live outside 90 miles of Stanford, parents should have their pediatrician test for

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