What is PANDAS and PANS?
https://www.pandasppn.org/what-are-pans-pandas/
PANS (“Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome”) is a clinically defined disorder characterized by the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCD) or eating restrictions, concomitant with acute behavioral deterioration in at least two designated domains. Comorbid PANS symptoms may include: anxiety, sensory amplification or motor abnormalities, behavioral regression, deterioration in school performance, mood disorder, urinary symptoms and/or sleep disturbances.
PANS does not require a known trigger, although it is believed to be triggered by one or more pathogens.
PANDAS (“Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections”) is a subset of PANS and was first reported by a team at the National Institute of Mental Health (part of NIH) in 1998. PANDAS has 5 distinct criteria for diagnosis, including abrupt “overnight” OCD or dramatic, disabling tics; a relapsing-remitting, episodic symptom course; young age at onset (average of 6–7 years); presence of neurologic abnormalities; and temporal association between symptom onset and Group A strep (GAS) infection. The 5 criteria usually are accompanied by similar comorbid symptoms as found in PANS.
