Today show update begining now

[911RN]

The obvious question from the follow up interview- the girl that is getting better that is "under treatment"- WHAT IS SHE BEING TREATED WITH???? They are being very evasive about the specific treatment in all these interviews (even the girl in the video). They are not telling anyone because folks may be able to put the pieces together, perhaps??

 

Just my thoughts....whether it is PANDAS, SC or vaccine related. Could be all are related?? They are being tight lipped with the treatment. My guess is if it vaccine related- they have been offered monetary reward not to give treatment or else risk not be able to recoup from vaccine damage fund. These parents that are dissatisfied would be speaking to the "treatment" if not. Something is making them not say what the treatment is?? Willing to do an interview but not say what treatment is- sounds fishy to me.

 

Like Phily PA- I don't want to speculate but I smell a rat in this whole deal.

[EAMom]

The obvious question from the follow up interview- the girl that is getting better that is "under treatment"- WHAT IS SHE BEING TREATED WITH???? They are being very evasive about the specific treatment in all these interviews (even the girl in the video). They are not telling anyone because folks may be able to put the pieces together, perhaps??

 

I suspect the treatment for the "mass hysteria" includes some sort of therapy and anti-tic and psych drugs.

 

Here's an article from the WSF on the 12 Le Roy girls. http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2012/01/19/teens-in-upstate-new-york-get-diagnosis-mass-psychogenic-illness/ The last paragraph mentions "treatment".

 

"Treatment focuses on any underlying stress, mood disorders and anxiety and can include talk therapy and in some cases, medication. Mechtler has supervised the treatment of 11 of the girls by Jennifer McVige, a fellow at Dent."

 

Of course, that makes it sound like tics aren't the only symptoms, already "mood disorders" and "anxiety" are mentioned, which makes this reak of PANDAS all the more!

[EAMom]

The thing about all of this that really bothers me is that I simply don't understand why they readily accept a diagnosis of conversion hysteria, but completely dismiss the idea that it could be Pandas or Sydenham's.

 

It makes no sense..........

Why is it possible to so completely favor one diagnosis over another, even in the face of mounting evidence, clinical anecdotes, and evolving research?

 

Is it just because you can make a diagnosis of conversion disorder with impunity and that there's really no way to disprove it?

 

Yup, and they say "infections" have been ruled out. Hmmm, kind of makes you wonder how many cases of PANDAS Dent has actually diagnosed (or treated) in the past 5 years. Perhaps PANDAS was automatically ruled out simply b/c the docs don't believe PANDAS exists....or know how to identify and diagnosis it? (And if they did, they'd probably just treat with psych. meds and cbt.) Perhaps PANDAS was ruled out on the basis of 1 "normal" ASO (not realizing that many girls, or strains of strep, don't get a titer rise) or that the trigger doesn't always have to be strep (Pitands). Do we even know if these girls were throat cultured?

 

It's a bit like having your local pediatrician (one who's never diagnosed/treated Lyme) rule out Lyme on the basis of 1 CDC test, despite clear cut symptoms to the contrary.

 

I actually think it would be more appropriate to admit the cause (if the docs truly don't know the cause) is "ideopathic". To say it is "mass hysteria" or "conversion disorder" simply b/c they can't identify the cause is ludicrous (and sexist).

Edited January 20, 2012 by EAMom