A common throat infection can rewire children's brains
12 days ago
- #Pandas
- #Strep throat
- #Autoimmune disorder
- Strep throat can lead to Pandas, a condition causing sudden behavioral changes in children.
- Pandas symptoms include OCD-like behaviors, motor skill regression, and mood swings.
- The condition is rare, affecting about 1 in 11,800 children annually.
- Pandas is thought to result from an autoimmune response triggered by strep infections.
- Treatments include antibiotics, IVIG, and plasma exchange therapy, but access to care is challenging.
- Research continues to explore biomarkers and brain changes associated with Pandas.
- Pandas and Pans are recognized by global health authorities, but skepticism remains in some medical communities.