Can a blood test detect PANDAS please help us!

amother

Cobalt

Sat, Dec 10 2016, 9:14 pm

My 3.5 year old has had strep 2 months ago and ever since then has terrible outburtsts and hard time controlling her emotions. She starts crying randomly without any triggers. Her teacher has noticed this happening ever since her strep and thinks its anxiety. She cries there in middle of the day for no reason. At home she can't control herself and tantrums non stop. Im having such a hard time with her and I just put the two and two together that this occurred right after she had strep.
I am crying non stop tonight from the things I'm reading about pandas. I don't want this to be a long journey to get my little happy girl back and I am feeling bad for blaming this on her disciplining her when there is a medical basis. My heart is torn.
I have an appointment with my pediatrician tom to discuss this and do blood work. Will I have a direct answer from the results if she has this?
What do I do? please help me she is my oldest and I literally put my heart and soul into her. Please help.

amother

Yellow

Sat, Dec 10 2016, 9:41 pm

Pandas is not only blood work. It's symptoms and blood work. My daughter was acting very extreme- like what you describe, times ten- she was 8 years old. I took her to the doctor and he ran blood work for strep titers. Her levels were over 1000! that combined with her behavior made him suspect Pandas. The problem is that some doctors don't believe in it so you have to make sure your pediatrician does.We had a year of medication, years of difficult behavior(tantrums/regressive behavior-sucking her thumb at 8!/refusing to change her socks) and 2 years of therapy and we are finally getting our daughter back. But yes it is a long process if your daughter indeed has Pandas- there is no quick fix. Whenever an antibiotic seemed to be working and I thought all was better, another child in my family got sick and that caused a regression. Children with Pandas are very sensitive to other kids having strep so it is really difficult to get rid of.

But don't assume your child has Pandas before you speak to a doctor. Your daughter is little still and can be just testing the boundries.

amother

Silver

Sun, Dec 11 2016, 8:31 am

Been there...

PANDAS is complicated. Actually all pediatricians believe in it, but some think its over diagnosed particularly in our community. No doubt that putting your daughter back on antibiotics will help her. It may take more than one visit to the doc to get him to agree.

Question. Did you ever go back to retest when she finished her medicine? She may still have actual strep which is making her feel lousy. Even low grade infections can do that.

How is she with ear infections? That can also cause similar behavior if her hearing is affected. Very disturbing for the child.

Good luck

amother

Rose

Sun, Dec 11 2016, 9:30 am

I agree with other poster first step is to go back to pediatrician and state your concerns. They need to make sure the strep is out of the system. My daughter had pandas and yes many doctors don't believe in it/ my doctor wasn't into it but his NP was and we were in touch with another pediatrician who also dealt a lot with it. My daughter was on antibiotics for less than 3 days when I noticed major change of my happy go lucky child to a depressed anxious non eating scared kid. She was 10 at the time so could actually express what she felt/ but it was scary she didn't know why she felt so scared. She couldn't go to school, called me crying from school the minute she got there- things that a typical 10 year old would not do. The doctor switched her antibiotics and we saw major improvement but the lasting affects were still there. We took her to a psychologist to help her talk and help us figure out what's going on. I didn't go the route of months of antibiotics- but some people do I guess each child is different. My daughter still has some anxiety and won't sleep by friends houses so easily- where as she used to run and be happy all the time... So I think your amazing for realizing this change in your child you just haveto be on top of it and go to the right Doctor. For all you know it may not be pandas, just strep that was never fully treated. Hatzlacha!

amother

Cobalt

Sun, Dec 11 2016, 8:34 pm

OP here thank you everyone for responding. I went to our pediatrician today and he retested her for strep with a culture which was negative. He said it doesn't pay to do bloodworm now bec her numbers will still be elevated because she had strep only 1 month ago. He prescribed Zithromax for 2 weeks and then to reevaluate. Does this seem like a good idea based on all your experiences? Can it do any harm? please please advise