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Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) is caused by a dysregulated immune response that leads to inflammation in the brain. It is characterized by a sudden, often overnight shift in a child’s personality. Families typically describe a sudden onset of intense fears, obsessive thoughts, uncontrollable rituals, or restrictive eating. There is a significant departure from the child’s typical behavior and emotional regulation. While the symptoms appear psychiatric, the root cause is a medical reaction to external triggers including common infections, environmental toxins, or extreme stress.
COMMON SYMPTOMS
COMMON SYMPTOMS
Drastic behaviour change
Obsessive thoughts
Repetitive behaviours
Restricted food intake
Meltdowns or rages
Tics
Anxiety
Personality changes
Decline in school performance
MANAGING SYMPTOMS
MANAGING SYMPTOMS
Know PANS/PANDAS requires medical treatment
Discuss antibiotics, IVIG, omega 3s and NSAIDs with a pediatrician
Discuss cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) with a with a psychologist
Document any abrupt or drastic changes in behaviours to help with a medical diagnosis and treatment
Take pre-emptive rest breaks to minimize/prevent meltdowns and rages
Limit sensory overwhelm with noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses
Read story books about regulating emotions and obsessive thoughts
HELPFUL WEBSITES
HELPFUL WEBSITES
PANDAS Network https://pandasnetwork.org/
My Kid is Not Crazy: a search for hope in the face of misdiagnosis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJQT9-cQwIw
Stolen Childhood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cprp-zhkDCM
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