Little-Known PANDAS Syndrome Getting Attention.

• Author: Johnson, Alissa

A debilitating neuroimmune disorder associated with the common strep bacterium grabbed the attention of legislators in 16 states this year.

After a bout of strep throat, some children suddenly experience symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, tics and irritability, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The condition is known as PANDAS, which stands for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections. Other symptoms include difficulty sleeping, loss of handwriting and math skills, and severe separation anxiety. The symptoms may be so severe that parents hardly recognize their child.

According to the nonprofit PANDAS Network, the condition affects an estimated 1 in 200 kids in the United States. Prompt treatment for the often-misdiagnosed condition may ease the most severe symptoms. But antibiotics, psychiatric care and other prescribed treatments can be costly. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, for example, which can help patients fight infection, can cost between $5,000 and $17,000 per dose, the Foundation for Children with Neuroimmune Disorders estimates.

States Take Action

In 2019, policymakers in Georgia, Illinois, New York and Oregon adopted measures to raise awareness about PANDAS and other pediatric neuropsychiatric syndromes, called PANS, that come on quickly and can be quite serious.

As Illinois lawmakers...