How many here have Autism in addition to PANDAS?

[airial95]

We have not had the autism dx, our pediatrician put us straight on the PANDAS path, but at our son's worst, he presented with all the signs of Aspbergers and our dr did bring that up. He wasn't formally evaluated for it because of his age (our dr said a conclusive dx couldn't be made until he was a bit older - he was only 2 1/2 at the time). As he's imprvoed with PANDAS - practically ALL of his Aspberger-lyke symptoms have disappeared.

 

A couple of thoughts - our pediatrician (whom I ADORE!) believes that as more is learned about PANDAS and similar conditions, it should end up "on the spectrum" because as someone else said - autism is a definition of a collection of symptoms - not a cause.

 

Secondly, and I believe I've said this before, I think those of us with children who were very young at onset (whether we were told PANDAS early on or not) are more likely to have an autism dx as well (right or wrong). When OCD, emotional lability, and other common PANDAS symptoms hit a child under 3, it can look significantly like autism, and without useful input from the child to identify it otherwise (particularly with the intrusive thoughts/OCD behavior) it can be difficult to understand what's happening to your child. I have no medical documentation on that - just my personal belief.

[peglem]

 

Secondly, and I believe I've said this before, I think those of us with children who were very young at onset (whether we were told PANDAS early on or not) are more likely to have an autism dx as well (right or wrong). When OCD, emotional lability, and other common PANDAS symptoms hit a child under 3, it can look significantly like autism, and without useful input from the child to identify it otherwise (particularly with the intrusive thoughts/OCD behavior) it can be difficult to understand what's happening to your child. I have no medical documentation on that - just my personal belief.

I agree, and if it goes untreated, it interferes w/ the child's ability to develop normal processing pathways, so that their early childhood development is messed up. PANDAS studies had only just begun when my daughter was in early childhood.

[NancyD]

Could also be Lyme-induced autism...for those who have Lyme. Either way, I believe the cluster of symptoms we call autism is induced by some infection or inflammation of the immune, GI, or metabolic systems.

 

 

Secondly, and I believe I've said this before, I think those of us with children who were very young at onset (whether we were told PANDAS early on or not) are more likely to have an autism dx as well (right or wrong). When OCD, emotional lability, and other common PANDAS symptoms hit a child under 3, it can look significantly like autism, and without useful input from the child to identify it otherwise (particularly with the intrusive thoughts/OCD behavior) it can be difficult to understand what's happening to your child. I have no medical documentation on that - just my personal belief.

I agree, and if it goes untreated, it interferes w/ the child's ability to develop normal processing pathways, so that their early childhood development is messed up. PANDAS studies had only just begun when my daughter was in early childhood.

[Healingthedude]

Autism, Sensory Integration Disorder, ANxiety, Constipation, PANDAS over here.