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Did you know some children may develop sudden and severe mental and neurological symptoms after exposure to various viruses and bacteria, including Strep, mycoplasma (flu), Lyme, Covid, and more? This condition is called PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) or PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections).
PANS is a more general term that does not specify the type of infection thought to trigger the symptoms. It's called "acute onset" because the behavior changes come on suddenly, reaching full-scale intensity within 24-48 hours. It can be triggered by different types of infections, such as strep, Lyme, walking pneumonia, Covid, or others. Think of children who change disposition almost overnight.
Symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive behavior, tics, anxiety, depression, irritability, sleep problems, and learning difficulties. These can interfere with the child's academic, social, and emotional development. Today is PANS Awareness Day.
PANS is often misdiagnosed or overlooked because the symptoms can mimic other disorders such as ADHD, Tourette syndrome, or autism. However, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent long-term complications and improve the child's quality of life. Standard treatment includes antibiotics, IVIG, corticosteroids, IVIG, plasmapheresis, or rituximab, depending on the severity of the condition. However, these rarely reach an entirely successful resolution, and "flares" will continue to occur periodically.
This is because the viruses and bacteria that are at the root of PANS are able to be dormant, unaffected by the interventions, and reappear at a later time. It is critical for long-term success to help rebalance the immune system as there is an autoimmune component to this condition, and the tissues are now being signaled to attack themselves in addition to responding to the viral/bacterial threat.
Treatment should include:
Working with the microbiome and brain to recover a healthy internal environment, reducing neural inflammation with nutraceuticals or sometimes photobiomodulation.
A healthy, nutrient-dense diet is always a good place to start rebalancing the immune response, as is 100% removing foods that are triggering autoimmune diseases.
Therapy and behavioral interventions can also help the child cope with the symptoms and reduce stress, such as somatic work, breath work to reduce anxiety, floating in a pool (with assistance), syntonics, and music interventions such as ILS Focus System and SSP. Because of the stress and trauma a body and brain go through with this diagnosis, children will need lots of emotional and somatic support to reestablish safety within themselves. Families will need support as well. Their nervous system is being told they are not safe in their body 24/7, and this will take time to recover. We believe that by disciplines working together, we can help these children get the care and support they need.
We have seen the devastating effects when PANS go untreated. We want to raise awareness among childcare providers, clinicians, educators, and parents. It is essential to consider biomedical drivers of behavior when evaluating and treating children with PANS or any neurological presentation. Biomedical drivers are factors that affect the brain and body's functioning, such as infections, inflammation, immune system dysregulation, nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxins, or genetic mutations. These factors can trigger or worsen the symptoms of PANS and make them more challenging to manage.
Addressing these can help restore the balance and harmony of the child's system and enhance their recovery. For more information, go to https://pandasnetwork.org.
RESOURCES:
Monica Kmetz Cochran works with learners and their families to remove the barriers to learning, cultivate their strengths, and spark a love of learning that will follow them throughout their lives.
Linkedin: Monica Kmetz Cochran | LinkedIn
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