PANS and PANDAS are two relatively uncommon and not well-known syndromes that occur in children…
PANDAS stands for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus. Quite a mouthful! What it represents is disorders that onset after a strep infection causes an autoimmune response that causes neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms.
Most often, this condition will be diagnosed following a streptococcal or strep infection, such as scarlet fever or strep throat. After the strep infection resolves (or shortly before it resolves), the kid will have a sudden onset of OCD-like symptoms and/or a tic disorder. As PANDAS is so rare and not overly known about, the condition can often be mistaken for something else, such as tourette’s syndrome.
Despite being called “Pediatric,” PANDAS can actually occur at any age. It is most often seen in children due to children being more susceptible to strep infections.
In order for PANDAS to be diagnosed, the individual must present with a sudden onset or worsening of a tic disorder and/or OCD, and other neurologic symptoms such as abnormal movements, hyperactivity, or other movements that aren’t within the child’s control. In general, the syndrome will have an onset age of 3 until adolescents.
PANS, on the other hand, does not require the presence or diagnosis of a strep infection prior to its onset. It has similar presentation and could be considered the roof under which PANDAS sits. Not all PANS are PANDAS but all PANDAS are, indeed, PANS.
Information obtained from the following resources:
https://www.panspandasuk.org/what-are-pans-and-pandas
https://www.healthline.com/health/pandas-syndrome
https://med.stanford.edu/pans.html
