PANDAS and PANS are medical conditions observed in children that result in a sudden onset of certain neuropsychiatric symptoms. These conditions can be alarming due to their rapid appearance and impact on a child’s behavior and emotional state.

• PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. As the name suggests, it is believed to arise after a child has a streptococcal (strep) infection.
• PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is a broader term. While it encompasses symptoms similar to PANDAS, its onset isn’t strictly related to strep infections.

Strep bacteria are very ancient organisms that survive in the human host by hiding from the immune system as long as possible. They hide themselves by putting molecules on their cell wall so that they look nearly identical to molecules found on the child’s heart, joints, skin, and brain tissues. This hiding is called “molecular mimicry” and allows the strep bacteria to evade detection for a long time.

However, the molecules on the strep bacteria are eventually recognized as foreign to the body and the child’s immune system reacts to the molecules by producing antibodies. Because of the molecular mimicry by the bacteria, the immune system reacts not only to the strep molecules but also to the human host molecules that were mimicked; antibodies “attack” the mimicked molecules in the child’s own tissues. These antibodies that react to both the molecules on the strep bacteria and to similar molecules found on other parts of the body are an example of “cross-reactive” antibodies.

Studies at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and elsewhere have shown that some cross-reactive antibodies target the brain—causing OCD, tics, and the other neuropsychiatric symptoms of PANDAS.

How Can Level Up Support You

We have a medical team who is willing to follow the pandas/guidelines and complete testing and treatment of PANDAS/PANS symptoms when appropriate. They will also liaise with the experts at the PPN clinic in the United States & Canada to support recovery. Dr. Melody (psychologist) has worked extensively in this area for many years and has attended numerous training. Her and the medical team work together to address symptoms.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/pandas
https://nardellaclinic.com/

There are a few links below and I also attached a few seminal research articles.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.746639/full 
https://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2018/03/12/what-is-pandas/ 
https://neuroimmune.org/pans-pandas-interview-baumel/

Good websites:

https://neuroimmune.org/ 
https://www.pandasppn.org/ 
https://aspire.care/what-is-pans/definition/

Additional information

https://www.moleculeralabs.com/pans-and-pandas-overview/ 
https://anxietycanada.com/disorders/introduction-on-pandas-and-pans/  
https://kids.iocdf.org/professionals/md/pandas/  
http://pandasnetwork.org/medical-information/  
https://www.aappublications.org/news/2017/03/28/Pandas032817

Video–Trigger warning in here

https://www.facebook.com/StolenChildhood2018/ 
Lecture on PANDAS with Dr. Susan Swedo 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcTHjQjS_wA

Books:

Brain Under Attack: A Resource for Parents and Caregivers of Children with PANS, PANDAS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis 
Childhood Interrupted: The Complete Guide to PANDAS and PANS