Hello all!!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!! Please forgive spelling an rambling thoughts, typing fast.
We have a 3 daughters all close in age-----here is our story.
Middle girl is 6 almost 7. Has always been very bright to say the least. Just figured she was getting smart via osmosis from older sister. But she has always been a little different, smarter without the effort, adult like manipulation. Chalked it up to being the middle kid and lack of attention.
Interesting History-----
Daughter started 1st grade in 2010----was very tough due to what we thought were just long days for her. Since about the last few years (2-6years old), our daughter always dealt with a little separation anxiety, fear of people in costume, refusal to do stuff bed, dinner, whatever etc......seemed normal. Dinner was the biggest fight.
1) December of 09 both this daughter (impetigo) and dad (staph or strep lesion)from a waterpark---- both went on abx---everything fine.
2) Start of 2010 1st grade school year, ODD(oppositional defiance disorder) seemed to present itself(looking backwards)--again thought is was just being tired and long days. Again, she has always been what we thought---just a different personality.
3) During, I would say Oct, Nov and into December 2010---she started a little nose twitch(thought is was allergies since dad always deals with it) along with more severe ODD, being withdrawn----very crazy things being said--- what we now think was the emotional liability, tantrums, thoughts of dred, refusal to go to sleep etc......
4) Just before Christmas of 2010, all? I think, of our girls came down with a croupy cough. Pretty much did not last long. But, our middle daughter developed a combo nose twitch, eye roll, scrunching of forehead and blinking of eyes that went on for a week or so. You name a Panda symptom and she had it during this period. Not really sure of the OCD part though. I will say, her math interest actually became intensified and improved(contrary) to the point where she would want to add 5-7 digit numbers and she understood the concept of carrying the 1 or 2 and so-forth.
5) Took her to the Ped and discussed prior to her seeing our daughter. Informed her of the above. She explained tic disorders after bout with Strep. I had known this since I started to research extensively tics in kids and what causes them. She checked our daughter out and viewed the tic. She ordered ASO Titer which we did a day later and it came back positive--albeit low---1 to 100 which means nothing to me. Also, she did recommend a ODD book for parents at the appt.
6) She did a round of amoxicilan for about 8-9 days. Took a couple of days, but the attitude/behavior/tics drastically got better, although is was very see sawish--some days we thought---great--making progress then bam--lots of tics and attitude the first few days. By days 7,8 and 9 she was great. I would not say things were perfect, but greatly improved. After the abx was gone, she started to go backwards again.
7) Called Ped again and asked her to call us. She seemed to indicate that PANDAS does not really exist but that we could do a 30day course of penicillan which is targeted directly at Strep. See said it would probably help via just the placebo effect. But I strongly disagree after seeing the 1st round of Amox and now Penicillin. After that, she recommended a neurologist about the tics and behavioral stuff.
8) We are about on 10-11th day of Penicillin and she is/ has been doing very well. Sweet pleasant, tics not all gone. But no where near the frequency or intensity. Penicillin seemed to work better and faster. Not sure why.
SUMMATION---
1)Based on all the info we have found, our daughter has exhibited most if not all of the PANDAS symptoms. Our doc knows about post strep tics.
2) I have ask Ped about rest of family getting tested for ASO titer values or putting all of us on abx----she said no.
3) Then why do abx anyway if there is no link in tics and strep.
4) I have dealt with the whole drainage, colds? etc as the other worried dads story here. Could I be the carrier.
UPDATE---today daughter stayed home with slight fever 99.2 last night and this am,while on penicillin -----which is why I am asking for help. Afraid I won't get help from our Ped.
Please respond with any helpful suggestions, courses of action, questions to propose, Docs in NW OH or anything you think is pertinent.
Thanks in advance for your time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
