This might get long, but I need local resources (PANDAs friendly doctors) and any advice you can give.
I have two boys: DS(5) has diagnoses of PDD-NOS, anxiety disorder, developmental coordination delay, and is highly gifted and DS (almost 4) has sensory issues and lots of hyperactivity. On any given day our house is quite wild.
In late February, both of their behaviors intensified for no apparent reason. DS(5) was crying at school and not wanting me to use the carpool lane. DS(almost 4) was not wanting to go to school at all. They both love school. DS (5) is very mild mannered but started physically attacking one of his autism therapists. DS (almost) 4 bebame obsessed with Star Wars Episode 3 and would only want to watch that or discuss that movie. He was also screaming non-stop.
Within a week of this (which I thought was just a spurt of bad behavior due to a growth spurt), DS (almost 4) woke in the night crying that his ear hurt and his eyes looked goopy. I took him to his pediatrician--no ear infection, no pink eye, no fever, but his rapid strep was positive. At that point, I became a bit concerned about P.A.N.D.A.S. On a total whim, I took DS (5) to the ped the next day; he was showing ZERO symptoms of anything, but his rapid strep was positive. As it happened we saw two different peds. DS (almost 4) was given Augmentim due to his yucky eyes and DS (5) was given amoxicillin.
They finished their scripts on March 8th. That very same night, I woke with a sore throat and I tested positive for strep on a rapid swab.
This week our problems really began. Some of these behaviors had waned last week but were back in full force this weekend. Tuesday at 3am DS (5) woke and said he had a headache (which was my main symptom. That morning DS (almost 4) had goopy eyes. We went back to the peditrician. Both were swabbed for strep. DS (almost 4) was negative on the rapid test and they did not culture it. DS (5) tested positive on the rapid test, but the ped said that it was a false positive due to his recent bout of strep. They cultured it and it came back negative yesterday.
By yesterday DS (5) was complaining non-stop of headache, it hurting to swallow, and tummy pain. He was awake at 4:30am yesterday because he was in too much pain to sleep. Same thing today.
I took both of them to MY doctor this morning who did rapid strep tests on both of them. This time DS (5) tested negative and DS (almost 4) tested positive....the opposite of what happened 2 days ago.
Does this sound like P.A.N.D.A.S? How do I go about finding a pediatrician that will adequately treat their symptoms, especially in the middle of nowhere Alabama. Finally we are military and are moving this summer to about an hour away from the research triange area.
Any and all help is appreciated!
