Brief background-DS, 12 diagnosed with PANDAS Sept 2010. Sudden onset of OCD/tics/separation anxiety, handwriting deteroration. ASO titres high, had success with antibiotics/steriod bursts. Symptoms wax and wane. Did not pursue IVIG initially as after first episode, tics went away after a few months, handwriting back to normal, symptoms mild (as compared to Sammy from Saving Sammy). This past year, however, has been horrible. He has been in trouble in school (impulse issues). Recently, he was in serious trouble for stabbing a classmate in the hand with a pencil after constant bullying (she was treating him like a leper, making a big production of using hand sanitizer before touching something he touched, refusing to work with him as a lab partner), apparently, when she pubicly announced her refusal to work with him on a lab as they were assigned to do, he finally had it and did something he shouldn't have done. He has had some rage episodes at home (hasn't had one in a while, but when he did he was like a different person-threatening, never actually did anything, but was out of control). He has been seeing a psychologist who is in the same practice as the neurologist who initially diagnosed PANDAS. I thought that by using one in that practice, there would be a greater undertanding of PANDAS. After the pencil incident, she recommended "partial hospitalization"-it's a day long program at a local hospital for a couple weeks. She felt like he needed to take therapy more seriously (he doesn't always recognize his issues, and will use humor to deflect actual work toward changing). Lately, his anxiety has increased...more handwashing, etc., although his mood has been better and he has been more compliant at home.
I just got a note from her wanting to re-visit the partial hospitalization idea-not sure what brought this on. In the meantime, his pediatrician (also a PANDAS friendly doctor) feels like he needs IVIG. He has been trying to get it approved through insurance.
Although I recognize my son needs help with anger management, anxiety, impulsive behavior, if the underlying cause is PANDAS, what good would the partial-hospitalization do? She (the pscyhologist) assures me that they won't put him on any meds without my consent, but I'm not sure how much I believe. I have read stories of kids being taken away if parents refuse meds that hospitals recommend. I'm just very leery of this approach, I feel like I should pursue IVIG first, as if PANDAS is the underlying cause, no psych meds or therapy is going to help. What would you do?