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Being a parent can be a challenge on any day, but it can be especially challenging if your child starts exhibiting extreme behavior changes and tics that seemingly come out of nowhere. Beth Maloney and her son experienced exactly that in 2002 and didn’t have many resources to turn to. Beth Maloney is sharing her son’s story and her experiences with PANS and PANDAS disorders.
Beth’s son started displaying symptoms that were extremely unlike him, and his symptoms eventually increased and became severe. He ended up missing two years of school. All of his behavior changes were due to an undiagnosed Strep infection and he was eventually diagnosed with PANDAS. Once he was diagnosed and started treatment, his symptoms began to disappear, and he began the road to recovery.
So what are PANS and PANDAS disorders? PANDAS is an acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. PANS is Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. The difference between PANDAS and PANS is that PANDAS is associated only with a Strep infection, while PANS can be associated with multiple infections. Both can cause symptoms such as new tics, OCD, severe anxiety, mood swing, and irritability, among other things. The changes are rapid and can seemingly occur overnight. Typically, PANDAS and PANS can occur from age three to puberty. They can affect all children, including typically developing children, as well as children on the spectrum.
What kinds of treatments will a child diagnosed with PANDAS or PANS need? Possibilities include antibiotics, steroids, and potentially even psych meds. It’s important to seek treatment if you see rapid and extreme behavioral changes in your child. Ultimately, you know your child and are the best at detecting any changes in behavior and health. If you suspect PANS or PANDAS, trust your gut and discuss your concerns with your healthcare professional.
Disclaimer:
From time to time, BBC Materials may discuss topics related to health and medicine. This information is not advice and should not be treated as medical advice. The medical information provided in the BBC Materials is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
You must not rely on the information in the BBC Materials as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment for yourself or an individual in your care as a result of any information provided in the BBC Materials. All medical information in the BBC Materials is for informational purposes only.
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Today’s Guest
Beth Alison Maloney began her legal career in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Knowing the power of a true story and vowing that no child would suffer as her son had, she wrote the pivotal memoir Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD. The book reads like a novel, describing the battle it took to have her son properly diagnosed and treated for strep-triggered mental illness. The acronym for the disorder is PANDAS. Her appearance on The Today Show with her fully-recovered son put PANDAS on the national radar in 2009.
Seeking to further empower parents, in 2013 she authored Childhood Interrupted: The Complete Guide to PANDAS and PANS. In 2015, the Wall Street Journal named her in “5 Things to Know about PANS.” In 2019, Ms. Maloney created the relationships that led to establishing clinics to treat the disorders at UCLA and the University of Arkansas. She is a nominee for the the2021 Catchers in the Rye Humanitarian Award of the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists.
As an attorney, Ms. Maloney is nationally recognized for her expertise in fighting “medical kidnapping” cases, a term commonly used to describe when medical providers and child protection services collaborate to have courts remove the custody of children from parents who disagree with doctors. She has been featured on numerous television and radio programs, and podcasts, and has spoken at conferences across the country and internationally. Her third book is on the way.
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