PANDAS since birth? Is it possible?

[trintiybella]

my child was sick since birth and i was wondering if a child could have PANDAS from day one of their life? my child was never ever sick as a child either. is it possible to have PANDAS nad be so heathy (as far as colds, flu etc???)

[Mayzoo]

my child was sick since birth and i was wondering if a child could have PANDAS from day one of their life? my child was never ever sick as a child either. is it possible to have PANDAS nad be so heathy (as far as colds, flu etc???)

 

I used to be amazed by my child's golden health. Then came PANDAS. Now, I realize she gets sick without physical symptoms and only has behavioural symptoms. I have begun to believe she was likely ill more as a younger child than I could have ever been aware of because she likely never had symptoms of illness then either and at that time, it rarely triggered behavioural symptoms.

 

Not sure about PANDAS since birth unless you were ill while you were pregnant and her antibodies (or your antibodies maybe?) began attacking her while she was in the womb or just after birth.

[tpotter]

my child was sick since birth and i was wondering if a child could have PANDAS from day one of their life? my child was never ever sick as a child either. is it possible to have PANDAS nad be so heathy (as far as colds, flu etc???)

 

 

could be congenital lyme and/or congenital something. We now know (according to the NIMH), that it is not only strep that causes PANS, but rather different infections, environmental and/or metabolic disorders. I would definitely check for other infections, such as lyme, bartonella, babesia, erlichiosis, viruses, mycoP (at the least.) If your child was sick when immunized, the immunizations probably would have played a role in it, as well. I would also get your dr. to do a full immunological workup, and more. PM me if you want more info.

[pr40]

someone just recommended a book infections behavior on the forum. it starts with an example of in utero effect on the fetus of infection mother had. it's on the first page.

if that can happen, i see no reason why baby cannot be born with pandas alghouth that is probably rare since pandas is, in part, an auto-immune response and babies are not born with fully developed immune systems. also, some people trace back pandas symptoms to the so called "colic."

regardless, treatment should be the same I would think.

[beeskneesmommy]

The diagnostic criteria for PANDAS has been stated by the NIMH. However, I find that most speciaists utilize their experience and skills to diagnose clinically. The onset is considered to occur between age 3 and puberty. However, since it is believed to be genetically predisposed, signs and symptoms are often identified by parents in retrospect at earlier ages. My son was sick often with fevers, the first at age 14 WEEKS. The onset of behavioral symptoms were at about 18 months. It's important to keep in mind that this illness is still in its pioneering stages and that there is much inconsistency within the medical community with regard to PANDAS. The best thing that you can do for your child is to take her to a known PANDAS specialist, have bloodwork done and discuss diagnosis.

 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/pandas/pandas-frequently-asked-questions-about-pediatric-autoimmune-neuropsychiatric-disorders-associated-with-streptococcal-infections.shtml

[sosudden]

I used to always be amazed my dd rarely got sick when she was little - snotty noses and fevers all around but dd rarely "caught"anything!!! No behavioral issues when really little EXCEPT looking back heightened separation anxiety and fear and unexplained hives AHA probably the begining of PANS.

[cobbiemommy]

I used to think DS never got sick. But after we got a hold of his doctor's charts from infancy; I see the pattern of sinus/ear infections. 12 in the first 24 months of life. But when you have two little ones, you just think it is the normal stuff of childhood. However, there were notes in his charts where I questioned the constant nail picking (an OCD behavior, although I did not know it yet) at around 24 months. This is younger than the three year old criteria of Swedo. He also had atopic dermatitis (excema) and still does on his face since he was about one year old.

 

Hindsight is always 20/20!

[airial95]

My son had sudden onset at 19 months following an impetigo infection. He was dx by the pediatrician at 26 months. (we thought the behavior issues were just the world's worst case of the "terrible 2's!") At 30 months, we went to see Murphy. She did a case study on my son as a classic PANDAS case - meeting all criteria but outside the expected "age of onset". So cobbiemommy - it may be that your child could have had onset at that time.

 

I think one of the struggles with the question of can it be there from infance is the onset criteria. One of the hallmarks of this condition is the fundamental personality change of the child. Although my child was young - his onset was abrupt, and drastic. We used to share a joke with the day care teachers that someone "slipped him a memo" at nap the one day that he could crank it up a notch and he was making the other kids look bad. I still have the behavior report from the day of onset - he woke up from nap and bit 3 different children unprovoked. He had NEVER so much as retaliated against a child previously. How could you tell if an newborn has had a change in behavior? Not to mention the undeveloped immune system making it questionable.

 

Now - that being said, it's entirely possible that there is a similar encephilitis process happening causing issues. I personally think that PANDAS/PANS is just the tip of the iceburg as far as the infection/mental health connection and there is so much more to be discovered. So I would say - no, it's not possible to have PANDAS at birth - there needs to be a triggering "event" of some sort, but there may be something else - like congential lyme - causing the symptoms. But this is just my totally uneducated personal opinion...

 

You mentioned that the baby was sick a lot - what symptoms make you think PANDAS?

[Suzan]

My children had chronic infections since birth, sinus, chest, ear, strep. Turns out they both have congenital lyme and pandas.

 

HUGS and good luck in your journey for answers.

 

Susan

[SSS]

My daughter had issues since birth, symptoms and red flags, but really never got 'sick'

In fact, after a PANDAS dx at age 4, that was really the first time on antibiotics.

 

But, I know you are using a new posting name, but don't you have Lyme, and were being treated?

I found out I had Lyme and Bartonella (positive tests) through my daughters PANS journey.

So for us, yes, I believe congenital infections gave her a compromised immune system,

and being fully vaccinated on top of that, multiple vaccines given every few months as an infant...

all too much :-(.

Very sad indeed.

But a lot of hard work and pushing through has paid off on the way back to health and a better life.

Day by day just do the best you can.

[dut]

I believe that our ds5 had his first episode of PANDAS/PANS at 7-8 months of age when his sister, dd9, was experiencing her first recognised PANDAS/PANS episode at age 4, although she may have had mini episodes before that - sock issues, clothing sensitivity.