why is early treatment so important

[Guest pandas16]

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Edited December 16, 2011 by pandas16

[MomWithOCDSon]

IMHO, because "coping behaviors" to things like unabated anxiety, tics, etc. can become ingrained, especially in young children who's brains are expanding exponentially. And speaking for my own DS, he spent at least 2 years so thoroughly overwhelmed with anxiety and OCD that there was no way he could actively "participate" in age-appropriate behaviors during that time or age-appropriate socialization. So, that put him behind.

 

My feeling is, if he'd received PANS treatment back when he was 3, before he started "adapting" to the anxieties that plagued him (but we were initially told he was just "sensitive" until the OCD showed up dramatically three years later), his social and emotional development would have occurred much differently. And now, at the ripe old age of 14, he would be less shy, less "clueless" when it comes to his peers' ways of communication, less unsure of himself, certainly less OCD, etc. He more or less missed some very key developmental stages . . . especially socially . . . because he was so busy keeping his anxiety under wraps or at bay.

[mdmom]

Why are you even asking this question?

My son showed signs of PANDAS at age 3, but was not diagnosed until last year at age 13.

 

Now at age 14, he is so debilitated after years of struggling with OCD and anxiety and it led, like MOMwithOCDson's child, to delayed social development.

 

He has behavioral and emotional patterns that he used as coping skills all these years of being improperly diagnosed with OCD and Asperger's that we will most likely never be able to reverse.

 

He is finally being treated medically for PANDAS and infections, but in addition to advocating for his medical needs, he sees 2 therapists a week, has been in 4 different schools in 4 years (3 of which are special ed schools) and now is homebound because the school setting just about pushed him over the edge emotionally.

 

EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY.

[PhillyPA]

Pandas16- as a child, did you have iv steroids for treatment? If so, dosage and how many times?

 

I believe that you will still outgrow pandas. You are still young.

[mKatheryn]

Thanks for the information!

Good to see so many informative posts!

 

 

 

 

YouTube mp4

[eljomom]

Pandas16...I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, you might have been asking for more of a scientific/medically-based reason behind the statement we all hear "early treatment is key"---am I correct? IF so, I am very interested in this information too. Especially, given that our pandas specialist MUST know this, and has NOT treated with IVIG. If antibiotics aren't working, wouldn't that be the next step? If so, then why do some pandas docs go right to that, and others, like ours, base treatment on the happiness of the child. Maybe she knows we already missed the boat for early treatment?

[PhillyPA]

Early treatment in any disease is key. Get cancer early and cure is probable. Get cancer in late stage it is much more difficult. It is not impossible to cure but much more difficult. Same thing with auto-immune disease. Same thing in life. Hand in a term paper early, life is stress free. Start it the night before, very stressful and bad results can come of it.