pandas symptom question, and antibiotic choice...

[eljomom]

I have a question about pandas symptoms.....after doing more reading,and hearing many posts here, I am wondering if there are pandas kids who suddenly develop tics, with little else? My daughter has always been a little ocd and clingy...the tics came pretty suddenly (she had a nose wrinkle tic, and smelling fingers prior) after the fever, at least a dozen. But other than that, she's happy, silly, if a bit "energetic."

 

Also, I may take her in for a skin infection, and wondered if I should suggest a certain antibiotic and maybe "kill 2 birds with one stone?" She had this 2 months ago and I never brought her in. Two of my other kids had the skin infection this summer, and both needed antibiotics, one did twice. So I thought maybe I should go ahead and treat (they swabbed one of my kids and it was staph). Any thoughts??

Thanks!

[P_Mom]

I have a PANDAS son who presented with sudden onset motor tics...a tab bit of ADHD symptoms at presentation, too. He is just a ticcer now when exposed....nothing else...no ocd, anxiety, rages, etc.

[eljomom]

How did he get diagnosed? Wondering if I should request the titers when I'm in for the skin infection?? Is 3 months out from fever too late to check titers?

Also, what antibiotic do you use?

 

I have a PANDAS son who presented with sudden onset motor tics...a tab bit of ADHD symptoms at presentation, too. He is just a ticcer now when exposed....nothing else...no ocd, anxiety, rages, etc.

[P_Mom]

He got diagnosed in Sept. 2007 after he and his younger brother both contracted strep in July, and, they both presented sudden onset symptoms......younger son the whole range of PANDAS symptoms...my older son as I said. He was diagnosed by Dr. K initially.....then confirmed by Dr. Latimer and Dr. Trifiletti.

 

3 months may or may not be too late for titers. It depends on how fast your particular child's titers fall, and, if the infection is cleared or not. For us, we also got titers checked after 3 months from initial onset...........by then , the infection had cleared and titers were in "normal" range. (although, since doing serial titers, they were actually high for my boys, but, still in range. Younger son, when strep free, comes in at about 23 ASO...he was 103 then....older son comes in at about 85 ASO strep free....he was 185 then....considered normal, but,it actually was not for my boys...both always "normal" AntiDNAase B titers....no actual number ever given)

 

I would go ahead and get them checked anyway...can't hurt....except if you have blood draw problems like many of us do!

 

My kids were put on Keflex to clear the strep (first round of Pen VK did not cut it), then they were put on Pen VK for about a year prophylactically...then a year of Aug., then back to Pen VK, then back to Augmentin prophylactically (250 mg once a day ..I know)...this is what they are currently on but we are goin to try Azith to see if it helps with the minor remaining symptoms and to cut back on dosing after 3 years. It will be sooooo nice to not have to give them pills everyday.

[eljomom]

Gosh, you've been through the wringer with two kids having it! I'm still trying to figure out how antibiotics help when there's no active infection??? Can't wrap my brain around that, hard as I try. Antibiotics help with antibodies???

 

He got diagnosed in Sept. 2007 after he and his younger brother both contracted strep in July, and, they both presented sudden onset symptoms......younger son the whole range of PANDAS symptoms...my older son as I said. He was diagnosed by Dr. K initially.....then confirmed by Dr. Latimer and Dr. Trifiletti.

 

3 months may or may not be too late for titers. It depends on how fast your particular child's titers fall, and, if the infection is cleared or not. For us, we also got titers checked after 3 months from initial onset...........by then , the infection had cleared and titers were in "normal" range. (although, since doing serial titers, they were actually high for my boys, but, still in range. Younger son, when strep free, comes in at about 23 ASO...he was 103 then....older son comes in at about 85 ASO strep free....he was 185 then....considered normal, but,it actually was not for my boys...both always "normal" AntiDNAase B titers....no actual number ever given)

 

I would go ahead and get them checked anyway...can't hurt....except if you have blood draw problems like many of us do!

 

My kids were put on Keflex to clear the strep (first round of Pen VK did not cut it), then they were put on Pen VK for about a year prophylactically...then a year of Aug., then back to Pen VK, then back to Augmentin prophylactically (250 mg once a day ..I know)...this is what they are currently on but we are goin to try Azith to see if it helps with the minor remaining symptoms and to cut back on dosing after 3 years. It will be sooooo nice to not have to give them pills everyday.

[P_Mom]

Well, some people have had some success with antibiotics being immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory....that is how it could help with PANDAS when there is not an active infection. Many, however, do not see this result. I am inclined to think, for my boys, the Azith will make no difference, but, it is one last thing I want to try before hanging up my hat on the antibiotics as far as helping with the remaining symptoms.....I do, however, feel antibiotics, as prophylaxis for strep, is necessary for them. Strep is BY FAR their number one enemy....since we have kept strep away for 3 years, they have never gone back to the "bad" point they were at 3 years ago.