What blood tests should I request?

[concerned mom]

My 11 year old son has Pandas and is being treated ongoing antibiotics. I've never seen PANDAS symptoms in my younger son (7 years old) until this week. He has had a bad cough for the past 3 weeks. I took him to the doctor last Friday and they did not think it was walking pneumonia but the diagnosed a sinus infection and gave him zithromax which he has taken the past 5 days. 3 days ago he started having extreme fears of dying. He could not get the thoughts out of his mind and he cried about it for an hour before school yesterday and today. He is afraid of dying and afraid of having a painful death. I have never heard anything like this from him before. He says he keeps thinking about scary scenes from the Harry Potter movie he saw months ago. (The movie did not bother him at the time he watched it.) He doesn't show any other signs of PANDAS. Coincidently my 11 year old has been going through an exacerbation of his tics for the past month so I question if some infections are floating around. My husband has had a very bad cough too.

 

I want to ask the pediatrician to check my younger son's ASO. I would also like her to test for mycoplasma. Is there a specific name for that test? Are there other things I should ask her to test for. I'm anticipating some push back from the pediatrician. I don't think she accepts my older son's diagnosis (he's being treated for PANDAS by a neurologist not our regular Ped). What do you suggest?

[Kiera]

Ask for mycoplasma IGg and IGm, also add on DNase aswell as ASO for the strep titers. Do throat rapid and send in. This is just a start! Print off new PANS white paper (on pandasnetwork.org) give to ped, tell him to look up newly updated NIMH website, ask for long course antibiotic and get app. with the neurologist of your other kid ASAP. Don't waste time with non believers especially when outcomes are better when nipped in the bud! Pandas in siblings is common. Good luck.

[concerned mom]

Thanks Kiera,

 

I called in my request for these tests and now I'm waiting for the call from the doctor to try to gently tell me I'm over reacting. But I'll stand firm and insist on the tests!

[philamom]

Make sure the strep titers are listed as Anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) and D-NASE B Antibody. There is another test that sounds similar to the d-nase that is sometimes ordered by mistake. Plus, whenever my doctor fails to put the B on the end, our lab (quest) needs to call to verify, adding on more time before a blood draw - not good for a child.

 

You may also want to order the streptozyme screen.

Edited April 24, 2012 by philamom

[concerned mom]

As I suspected, the nurse called me back and said the dr would not order the tests without seeing my son. So we are going in for an appt today. I hate how they make me feel like I'm a crazy hypochondriac. But I guess it's good for the doctor to see us and talk to us directly about my son's symptoms.

 

Thanks philamom, I'll make sure they order the D-NASE B Antibody.

[concerned mom]

The doctor would not order the blood tests and suggested the anxiety about dying was developmentally normal and/or caused by my son watching fast action animation shows and suggested he seek therapy. Angry. Frustrated. I'll watch him closely the next few days and if he continues to have problems I'll push the issue. If he doesn't show anxiety symptoms I'll let it go for now unless it comes back.

[Kiera]

Very disturbing! And here I thought we'd made such progress lately!!! When are the mainstream Drs going to be enlightened?? If I were you I'd be making alternate arrangements now!

[yospinner]

I suggest you see a new dr. There is no harm in labs.