Sheila

I would like to clarify my position on posts that offer Facebook links, as I have been the subject of criticism by someone related to this issue and believe there is a misunderstanding.

A couple of weeks ago a newbie member asked in her first post about finding a PANDAS doctor in a particular state. Rather than providing information so that this mother and others could benefit, the new member was directly instructed by an advanced member to join a Facebook page she was involved with, and all the benefits of doing so were extolled. I took exception to that approach and made the post invisible. I explained my concern to the advanced member.

Facebook communication is a great resource and we certainly don't have any problem with people learning about Facebook sites through the Forum. In fact many threads on this Forum specify Facebook pages.

What we would appreciate though, is that if someone asks a question, rather than immediately drawing that person away from the Forums to join a Facebook page, please provide answers on the Forums and then feel free to include info about a relevant Facebook page.

We often hear from people who tell us they are grateful for the Forums because they don't get on Facebook at all (believe it or not!) and they are looking for help right here. We want to meet the needs of everyone, and we want to keep the Forums strong for the benefit of all.

Many will recall that we were the first to have a PANDAS Forum, beginning in 2008. Controversies were raging and it took a lot of monitoring to keep things on track. My hope now is simply that helpful participation continues.

We greatly appreciate everyone's help in keeping these Forums strong. You are the ones who make it the valuable resource that it is.

I would like to clarify my position on posts that offer Facebook links, as I have been the subject of criticism by someone related to this issue and believe there is a misunderstanding.

A couple of weeks ago a newbie member asked in her first post about finding a PANDAS doctor in a particular state. Rather than providing information so that this mother and others could benefit, the new member was directly instructed by an advanced member to join a Facebook page she was involved with, and all the benefits of doing so were extolled. I took exception to that approach and made the post invisible. I explained my concern to the advanced member.

Facebook communication is a great resource and we certainly don't have any problem with people learning about Facebook sites through the Forum. In fact many threads on this Forum specify Facebook pages.

What we would appreciate though, is that if someone asks a question, rather than immediately drawing that person away from the Forums to join a Facebook page, please provide answers on the Forums and then feel free to include info about a relevant Facebook page.

We often hear from people who tell us they are grateful for the Forums because they don't get on Facebook at all (believe it or not!) and they are looking for help right here. We want to meet the needs of everyone, and we want to keep the Forums strong for the benefit of all.

Many will recall that we were the first to have a PANDAS Forum, beginning in 2008. Controversies were raging and it took a lot of monitoring to keep things on track. My hope now is simply that helpful participation continues.

We greatly appreciate everyone's help in keeping these Forums strong. You are the ones who make it the valuable resource that it is.

I would like to clarify my position on posts that offer Facebook links, as I have been the subject of criticism by someone related to this issue and believe there is a misunderstanding.

A couple of weeks ago a newbie member asked in her first post about finding a PANDAS doctor in a particular state. Rather than providing information so that this mother and others could benefit, the new member was directly instructed by an advanced member to join a Facebook page she was involved with, and all the benefits of doing so were extolled. I took exception to that approach and made the post invisible. I explained my concern to the advanced member.

Facebook communication is a great resource and we certainly don't have any problem with people learning about Facebook sites through the Forum. In fact many threads on this Forum specify Facebook pages.

What we would appreciate though, is that if someone asks a question, rather than immediately drawing that person away from the Forums to join a Facebook page, please provide answers on the Forums and then feel free to include info about a relevant Facebook page.

We often hear from people who tell us they are grateful for the Forums because they don't get on Facebook at all (believe it or not!) and they are looking for help right here. We want to meet the needs of everyone, and we want to keep the Forums strong for the benefit of all.

Many will recall that we were the first to have a PANDAS Forum, beginning in 2008. Controversies were raging and it took a lot of monitoring to keep things on track. My hope now is simply that helpful participation continues.

We greatly appreciate everyone's help in keeping these Forums strong. You are the ones who make it the valuable resource that it is.

I would like to clarify my position on posts that offer Facebook links, as I have been the subject of criticism by someone related to this issue and believe there is a misunderstanding.

A couple of weeks ago a newbie member asked in her first post about finding a PANDAS doctor in a particular state. Rather than providing information so that this mother and others could benefit, the new member was directly instructed by an advanced member to join a Facebook page she was involved with, and all the benefits of doing so were extolled. I took exception to that approach and made the post invisible. I explained my concern to the advanced member.

Facebook communication is a great resource and we certainly don't have any problem with people learning about Facebook sites through the Forum. In fact many threads on this Forum specify Facebook pages.

What we would appreciate though, is that if someone asks a question, rather than immediately drawing that person away from the Forums to join a Facebook page, please provide answers on the Forums and then feel free to include info about a relevant Facebook page.

We often hear from people who tell us they are grateful for the Forums because they don't get on Facebook at all (believe it or not!) and they are looking for help right here. We want to meet the needs of everyone, and we want to keep the Forums strong for the benefit of all.

Many will recall that we were the first to have a PANDAS Forum, beginning in 2008. Controversies were raging and it took a lot of monitoring to keep things on track. My hope now is simply that helpful participation continues.

We greatly appreciate everyone's help in keeping these Forums strong. You are the ones who make it the valuable resource that it is.

Hello, pedz -- I know tics can be so startling and upsetting, and parents feel so helpless. But it seems you have already discovered some very important clues: electronics can make your daughter's tics worse, along with sweets. That's a huge finding! Good for you.
 
It is very possible that your daughter is light sensitive, as you say. She may also have a sensitivity to electromagnetic fields. In both cases 1) nutrients may help 2) avoiding exposure is a major key, and 3) you want to aim to reduce her "total load" of potential factors that could be aggravating her nervous system.
 
When you see the pediatrician, you could start with discussing food sensitivities, allergies, and nutritional status.
 
Doctors differ greatly with what they will test for, which tests they use, and what they accept as possible reasons for tics. So there is no telling where the discussion will go. But you could ask for a referral to an allergist. And ask him or her to rule out an underlying infection.
 
Do you have allergy in the family?
 
There are a number of environmental factors that can trigger tics, as you have probably seen on our site or in the book (if you have received it already). Please keep a journal of daily "encounters" -- from what she eats, drinks and breathes (i.e. perfume) to what she is eating. Be specific with the food. For example, there's a big difference between natural maple syrup and artificially flavored/colored syrup that's made from corn syrup.
 
Also, try to look back and jot down anything that you recall changed around the times when the tics started up or flared-- and these are random: a new pet, renovation in the home, an illness, mold at school, starting up gas heat at home, even something like a new cordless phone system or a new car (toxins)--there are so many things that might be part of the puzzle. Does anything special come to mind? Typically, once there has been a major exposure of some kind, then other minor exposures cause reactions.
 
I hope you will be able to go "green" at home and keep working on the diet. I know it seems like a lot all at once, so please take it in steps and let us know how it goes, OK? You are already off to a great start.

Hi WorriedMom55--You've been doing a great job of keeping track of your son's physical and emotional health while dealing with his tics over the last several months.
 
Try not to despair and project what might happen (worst case scenario) as there are many things that can be done to help your son, and you are the type of parent who will find the answers. You are on the right track! (Also, don't put too much stock in the "one year" milestone for someone with vocal and motor tics at which point doctors are taught they should proclaim the person "has Tourette syndrome." It is arbitrary and doesn't really tell you anything you didn't already know -- that your child is dealing with tics that come and go but they have lasted for a year. It is also a tough term for many children to deal with--kids look it up on the internet and are frightened.)
 
The tics and tapping gestures you mention are typical. The good thing is that some times they are so mild that you say only you would notice them, and at other times they are gone completely. The goal will be to keep them at this level. You know that stage is possible, as you have seen it yourself.
 
How has it been going with the magnesium lotion? It's encouraging this mineral seems to help him, as it does many others. (Of course there could be other nutritional imbalances also.) The taste of Natural Calm bothers some people--the flavoring in some versions and/or the stevia. And the diarrhea,as you probably know, is from too much. You may have seen that many parents use epsom salts in bath water for magnesium absorption. Will your son take baths?
 
Here is some good info from our forum on using epsom salts in different ways.
http://latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3581
 
You say he has stomach problems -- that's good news, bad news! The bad news, naturally, being that it is something you need to fix. But the good news is that digestive complaints are often a major clue to tics--they are connectedFor many, fix the stomach/gut issues and the tics go away. The VSL#3 is good -- a little pricey, but would stick with it rather than experiment with other probiotics right now. Please follow up with the primary care doc on checking diet issues.
 
Have you tried any dietary adjustments yet? Either eliminating certain foods -- or watching artificial additives and sugars?
 
If he needs allergy testing down the road you can always pursue that.
 
For sure, emotional issues can add a layer of stress that affects the immune system. I'm sorry your boy has lost people he was close to. I hope the counseling goes well.
 
I know it is hard to balance playing detective while also teaching--both take so much energy! But while following through on the above, I hope that you have been able to incorporate some of the basic guidelines in our book as far as keeping allergens to a minimum in the house and using non-toxic home and care products. That can help take the edge off -- or for some, allergens or chemical exposures are a huge part of the picture.
 
It's so nice to read that your son is bright. Eventually he will be able to notice things that aggravate tics himself.

Hello dswm. I wanted to welcome you to the forums and offer my sympathies for all you are dealing with. It is no wonder you are overwhelmed. The relentless coughing in itself is so much to deal with, and then anxiety, ER and doctor visits, plus medications on top of it all.
 
You are to be commended for all the reading you have done, and all the doctors you have seen. It is clear you don't want to leave any stone unturned in your search for help.
 
Your description of the terrible feeling that it was as if the child you knew had died is sometimes mentioned when an underlying infection is causing a severe neurological reaction. The abrupt change is dramatic and distressing.
 
Other very significant environmental insults can cause similar symptoms.
 
The FluMist has been associated with a range of side effects, and tics and other responses have been reported by parents on these forums. It is difficult to know of course if that was the precipitating cause in your son's case.
 
With all your googling you may have come across the term PANDAS or PANS. Here is a brief summary that you could check out and consider in light of your son's case. summary.
We have an e-book on the topic here.
 
Did any of the doctors prescribe an antibiotic at any point, and did you see any change in symptoms with that?
 
Just wondering -- have you tried taking him off of milk and eggs as an experiment to see if it takes the edge off? Not that this is the ultimate cause, but it might be worth trying to see if it helped to any degree.
 
Also, since it is respiratory related, it is important to use all the approaches one normally would for allergy/asthma in the home.
 
Does your family have any history of asthma or allergy?
 
Since you seemed to find magnesium helpful before, you could consider warm epsom salt baths if your son would be OK with those.
 
Of course the key is to get to the main precipitating factor, and if it is an infection that will require additional testing.
 
I know you will be hearing from other parents with specific suggestions. With the holidays, parents are sometimes more tied up than at other times, but I am sure people will want to help you with you difficult situation.
 
Hang in there, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Hi --Sorry for all the difficulties in tracking this down!
 
We have learned of a couple of positive responses for tics by using the patches from http://www.repreeve.com/
 
Hopefully those people will be willing to post their experience soon. Of course it is good to hear from from anyone who tries it, regardless of the result.
 
You can testimonials on their site.

Hi Barbara,
 
We were so happy to read your post about your success in treating your young boy, with help from the forums and our book.
 
I apologize for the delay in responding, I'm out of town. You really did a wonderful job in attacking the environmental and diet issues, plus limiting ipad use. Your son is lucky to have you for a mom.
 
It's interesting that you eventually found dairy to be one of the worst triggers. Your message is so helpful, and I know it is appreciated by Chemar and others on the forum who offered their suggestions.
 
I'm going to be sending a PM to you!

Hi Barbara,
 
We were so happy to read your post about your success in treating your young boy, with help from the forums and our book.
 
I apologize for the delay in responding, I'm out of town. You really did a wonderful job in attacking the environmental and diet issues, plus limiting ipad use. Your son is lucky to have you for a mom.
 
It's interesting that you eventually found dairy to be one of the worst triggers. Your message is so helpful, and I know it is appreciated by Chemar and others on the forum who offered their suggestions.
 
I'm going to be sending a PM to you!

Chances are, if you were satisfied with the treatment options that are available for Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders, you wouldn't be on this forum. So many families like you need help finding better therapies than the drugs that are offered. We've written a series of articles calling for an investigation of the Tourette Syndrome Association because for the last 40 years they have ignored information on safer, new directions for treatment while at the same time having a virtual monopoly on information provided to the media. Don't believe me? Click the links below and follow this effort. A 10 PART SERIES ONE Making our case – The first in a series of articles
 
TWO Looking back 40 years
 
THREE There’s a lack of research studies reflecting positive reports received
 
FOUR Dr. Marshall Mandell’s amazing discovery was ignored by the TSA
 
FIVE The TSA ignored the work of Doris Rapp, MD
 
SIX The TSA medical board ignored the findings of the Alternative Therapy Network for Tourette syndrome even while TSA staff referred families to it and success stories with natural treatments were mutually shared.
 
SEVEN The TSA and our organization had a liaison relationship for a few years . . . yet they sought to stifle our message and discourage people from trying natural approaches.
 
EIGHT The TSA has failed to alert the public and medical community that environmental triggers can worsen Tourette syndrome symptoms. Their negligence is indefensible.
 
NINE The TSA has censored and controlled the media message, making it difficult for families and physicians to learn of integrative and natural approaches to Tourette syndrome.
 
TEN This is the final article in a series that has documented the Tourette Syndrome Association’s (TSA) failure to determine the cause of Tourette syndrome and find safe, effective treatments for symptoms.
Please support this very important effort. We need to make sure research goes in the right direction and families learn about better options for treatment. Thank you, Sheila

Yes pik, this board is and always has been monitored,
 
Though we are sympathetic to your situation, we try to be evenhanded in the public information that is shared about various physicians as well as other people.
 
We have an advisory board that sets policy and we do our best to follow it. Part of that policy is:
 
Text should not be defamatory, harsh, accusatory, intimidating, slanderous, an invasive of a person's privacy, or violate any law. Doing so may lead to you being banned (and your service provider may be informed). The IP address of all posts is recorded to aid in enforcing these conditions. You agree that the webmaster, administrator, and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move, or close any topic at any time should they see fit. In particular, though we can't claim to catch every negative post, we try to make sure that material that is against the guidelines does not remain in a public venue in which a person being criticized is not able to defend him or herself.
 
We always appreciate when members alert us to posts that need moderator attention.
 
We felt that the material that was left on your posts after editing was sufficient for you to get your point across.
 
As a reminder, everyone is asked to please adhere to these guidelines, found in full here. Thank you in advance for your help with this issue!
 
Sheila

Yes pik, this board is and always has been monitored,
 
Though we are sympathetic to your situation, we try to be evenhanded in the public information that is shared about various physicians as well as other people.
 
We have an advisory board that sets policy and we do our best to follow it. Part of that policy is:
 
Text should not be defamatory, harsh, accusatory, intimidating, slanderous, an invasive of a person's privacy, or violate any law. Doing so may lead to you being banned (and your service provider may be informed). The IP address of all posts is recorded to aid in enforcing these conditions. You agree that the webmaster, administrator, and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move, or close any topic at any time should they see fit. In particular, though we can't claim to catch every negative post, we try to make sure that material that is against the guidelines does not remain in a public venue in which a person being criticized is not able to defend him or herself.
 
We always appreciate when members alert us to posts that need moderator attention.
 
We felt that the material that was left on your posts after editing was sufficient for you to get your point across.
 
As a reminder, everyone is asked to please adhere to these guidelines, found in full here. Thank you in advance for your help with this issue!
 
Sheila

Hi tstryker, It sounds like you've made some good progress with your son. We know that setbacks are tough to take though.
 
A couple of things struck me. It would seem that your own observation that tics are typically worse in the spring and the fall could contradict what you were told by your naturopath --that there were "no environmental allergies." I would not assume that statement to be accurate—or perhaps it is a difference in terminology and there are intolerances that don't fall under her definition of allergy. Or maybe she was talking about that particular testing day?
 
No one gets it right all the time, especially if this was based on muscle testing which is an approach some find helpful, but results can vary widely. Don't let that comment keep you from exploring environmental possibilities.
 
You were also told by her at the time that there were no major food allergies, yet you have noticed foods that make the tics flare: corn, soy, food dye, nitrates. It's great you have been able to figure that out on your own. Whether your son is experiencing classic food allergy or an intolerance or sensitivity, focus on your own observations.
 
I'd start watching with an open mind for what might possibly be playing a role at home, school (in school?) or outside the home.
 
It might be a good idea to print this list below and think about what might be involved. Could you let us know what you suspect on this list?
 
http://ticsandtourettes.com/downloads/acn_tics_triggers_checklist.pdf
 
By the way, we are preparing an article on mouth appliances and will ask the specialist about letting teeth grow in.
 
Wishing you lots of luck and hoping to hear back from you, Sheila

Many on this board have told us that when they see a doctor about tics, they're given some combination of this advice:
It's probably a transient or temporary tic that will get better on its own. There's nothing you can do—but don't worry. Your child has Tourette syndrome. The tics will "wax and wane," (come and go) and this is one of the mysteries of Tourettes. The best thing you can do is simply reduce stress. The tics aren't bad enough to offer medications because they are very strong. Come back when the tics are worse. I can offer you Drug A and we can see if it helps. If not, come back and we can try Drug B. There is no connection with diet. Natural therapies or allergy approaches are no help.  
Families are often annoyed with their neurologist or pediatrician for not being more helpful. Or for dissing them if they suggest they have seen a diet connection or other trigger for tics. But it's not entirely their fault!
 
Doctors get their advice from the national Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA). For years the TSA has gone out of its way to make sure you don't use simple, natural approaches. It's appalling but true.
 
Check out my latest article in the series that shows how the TSA discourages families from finding helpful approaches that you could start looking into today.
 
The first comment to the linked article is fabulous, check it out. Then please add your own comment.
 
http://latitudes.org/tourette-syndrome-association-investigated-part-seven/
 
Children and families deserve better. Things won't change until we all make it happen!
 
Sheila

Hi Pik,
 
We know how very difficult it is to find a doctor that is the right fit for a family (Not to mention the expense!). Unfortunately, it is a major challenge.
 
That said, we do our best to avoid focused discussions of any particular physician in this open forum.
 
Members should please send a private message if they have any comments they would like to share.
 
We hope you understand--and also hope you find the right doctor for your family.
 
With best wishes, Sheila

Chances are, if you were satisfied with the treatment options that are available for Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders, you wouldn't be on this forum. So many families like you need help finding better therapies than the drugs that are offered. We've written a series of articles calling for an investigation of the Tourette Syndrome Association because for the last 40 years they have ignored information on safer, new directions for treatment while at the same time having a virtual monopoly on information provided to the media. Don't believe me? Click the links below and follow this effort. A 10 PART SERIES ONE Making our case – The first in a series of articles
 
TWO Looking back 40 years
 
THREE There’s a lack of research studies reflecting positive reports received
 
FOUR Dr. Marshall Mandell’s amazing discovery was ignored by the TSA
 
FIVE The TSA ignored the work of Doris Rapp, MD
 
SIX The TSA medical board ignored the findings of the Alternative Therapy Network for Tourette syndrome even while TSA staff referred families to it and success stories with natural treatments were mutually shared.
 
SEVEN The TSA and our organization had a liaison relationship for a few years . . . yet they sought to stifle our message and discourage people from trying natural approaches.
 
EIGHT The TSA has failed to alert the public and medical community that environmental triggers can worsen Tourette syndrome symptoms. Their negligence is indefensible.
 
NINE The TSA has censored and controlled the media message, making it difficult for families and physicians to learn of integrative and natural approaches to Tourette syndrome.
 
TEN This is the final article in a series that has documented the Tourette Syndrome Association’s (TSA) failure to determine the cause of Tourette syndrome and find safe, effective treatments for symptoms.
Please support this very important effort. We need to make sure research goes in the right direction and families learn about better options for treatment. Thank you, Sheila

Chances are, if you were satisfied with the treatment options that are available for Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders, you wouldn't be on this forum. So many families like you need help finding better therapies than the drugs that are offered. We've written a series of articles calling for an investigation of the Tourette Syndrome Association because for the last 40 years they have ignored information on safer, new directions for treatment while at the same time having a virtual monopoly on information provided to the media. Don't believe me? Click the links below and follow this effort. A 10 PART SERIES ONE Making our case – The first in a series of articles
 
TWO Looking back 40 years
 
THREE There’s a lack of research studies reflecting positive reports received
 
FOUR Dr. Marshall Mandell’s amazing discovery was ignored by the TSA
 
FIVE The TSA ignored the work of Doris Rapp, MD
 
SIX The TSA medical board ignored the findings of the Alternative Therapy Network for Tourette syndrome even while TSA staff referred families to it and success stories with natural treatments were mutually shared.
 
SEVEN The TSA and our organization had a liaison relationship for a few years . . . yet they sought to stifle our message and discourage people from trying natural approaches.
 
EIGHT The TSA has failed to alert the public and medical community that environmental triggers can worsen Tourette syndrome symptoms. Their negligence is indefensible.
 
NINE The TSA has censored and controlled the media message, making it difficult for families and physicians to learn of integrative and natural approaches to Tourette syndrome.
 
TEN This is the final article in a series that has documented the Tourette Syndrome Association’s (TSA) failure to determine the cause of Tourette syndrome and find safe, effective treatments for symptoms.
Please support this very important effort. We need to make sure research goes in the right direction and families learn about better options for treatment. Thank you, Sheila

Just a note that this mother http://latitudes.org/finding-help-last-diet-environment-causing-tourettes-ocd-child/ told me chicken was one of the foods her daughter was most allergic to. Not usually at the top of people's list.
 
 

Hi Megan,
 
Welcome to the Forum -- we're are glad to have you here!
 
I'll write more tomorrow, but in the meantime I'm wondering where you live related to the allergies being so bad. Also, you sound like awesome parents, having done so many interventions already. (Nice family photo!) Sheila

A new scale for parents to rate the severity of obsessive compulsive symptoms and 11 associated neuropsychiatric symptoms (i.e., anxiety, moodiness, sleep disturbance) is in the development phase and available for use.

The current scale is based on the clinical experience of doctors Susan Swedo, Miroslav Kovacevic, Beth Latimer, and James Leckman, with the help of parents Diana Pohlman, Keith Moore, and others.

Instructions to complete and score the scale are included throughout the document.

ACN appreciates that Dr. James Leckman, Professor of Child Psychiatry, Psychiatry, Psychology and Pediatrics at Yale, has given us permission to share the scale here. We hope it will be helpful to parents.

Click here to view and print the scale.

New study abstract (July 3, 2013) is below. Full research here. Discussion article here.  
Reduced Incidence of Prevotella and Other Fermenters in Intestinal Microflora of Autistic ChildrenHigh proportions of autistic children suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, implying a link between autism and abnormalities in gut microbial functions. Increasing evidence from recent high-throughput sequencing analyses indicates that disturbances in composition and diversity of gut microbiome are associated with various disease conditions. However, microbiome-level studies on autism are limited and mostly focused on pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, here we aimed to define systemic changes in gut microbiome associated with autism and autism-related GI problems. We recruited 20 neurotypical and 20 autistic children accompanied by a survey of both autistic severity and GI symptoms.
 
By pyrosequencing the V2/V3 regions in bacterial 16S rDNA from fecal DNA samples, we compared gut microbiomes of GI symptom-free neurotypical children with those of autistic children mostly presenting GI symptoms. Unexpectedly, the presence of autistic symptoms, rather than the severity of GI symptoms, was associated with less diverse gut microbiomes. Further, rigorous statistical tests with multiple testing corrections showed significantly lower abundances of the genera Prevotella,Coprococcus, and unclassified Veillonellaceae in autistic samples. These are intriguingly versatile carbohydrate-degrading and/or fermenting bacteria, suggesting a potential influence of unusual diet patterns observed in autistic children. However, multivariate analyses showed that autism-related changes in both overall diversity and individual genus abundances were correlated with the presence of autistic symptoms but not with their diet patterns. Taken together, autism and accompanying GI symptoms were characterized by distinct and less diverse gut microbial compositions with lower levels of Prevotella, Coprococcus, and unclassified Veillonellaceae.

The article posted above by dut is a good place to end this discussion. The Child Mind Institute points out the dangers of associating a condition such as PANDAS with a particular act.
 
http://www.childmind...d-and-bomb-plot
 
It says in part: It's troubling whenever an act of violence is associated with a particular psychiatric disorder, because it's easy for people to stereotype other people with the disorder, wrongly, as prone to violence.
 
Comments can be added to the Institute's article and you may wish to do that.
 
Thank you all for your input on this difficult issue. Sheila

The article posted above by dut is a good place to end this discussion. The Child Mind Institute points out the dangers of associating a condition such as PANDAS with a particular act.
 
http://www.childmind...d-and-bomb-plot
 
It says in part: It's troubling whenever an act of violence is associated with a particular psychiatric disorder, because it's easy for people to stereotype other people with the disorder, wrongly, as prone to violence.
 
Comments can be added to the Institute's article and you may wish to do that.
 
Thank you all for your input on this difficult issue. Sheila

The article posted above by dut is a good place to end this discussion. The Child Mind Institute points out the dangers of associating a condition such as PANDAS with a particular act.
 
http://www.childmind...d-and-bomb-plot
 
It says in part: It's troubling whenever an act of violence is associated with a particular psychiatric disorder, because it's easy for people to stereotype other people with the disorder, wrongly, as prone to violence.
 
Comments can be added to the Institute's article and you may wish to do that.
 
Thank you all for your input on this difficult issue. Sheila