"Non" Pandas Son?

[T_Anna]

Am I dealing with another PANDAS kid? My 13 year old has been moody, had difficulty focusing & fatigue (maybe a little ADHD too). He does not exhibit OCD, rage, frequent urination, he had plantars fasciitis, am I overlooking Lyme? PANDAS? Is he depressed because my house is in upheaval and his brother is on the couch all day? He also sniffles, is this a tic or congestion (he has a lot of nosebleeds).

 

T.Anna

Edited November 5, 2013 by T.Anna

[LNN]

There are so many things that can trigger behaviors in teens. It's in the job description. My younger one (not yet a teen) certainly carries emotional baggage from all we've been through. Add teen hormones and some teen brain re-wiring and you're bound to get some "normal" issues.

 

Before you get too far in knots, is he eating ok? Is he hydrated? Could there be any nutritional issues that are interfering with neurotransmitter production/regulation? If you don't see OCD or tics, Pandas wouldn't be my first suspect. If you don't have muscle pain, brain fog, other physical ailments, it could be a tick-borne thing but it wouldn't be where I'd put my first efforts, based strictly on the symptoms you list. Methylation of course comes to mind (this post is from me after all). So does a thought about family therapy - it's a lot for a tween to sort thru. As far as physical ailments, viral would be higher on my list of suspects.

 

Have you asked him about his symptoms and feelings? Would he be willing to keep a symptom chart with you?

[T_Anna]

<<Methylation of course comes to mind (this post is from me after all). So does a thought about family therapy - it's a lot for a tween to sort thru. As far as physical ailments, viral would be higher on my list of suspects.

 

Have you asked him about his symptoms and feelings? Would he be willing to keep a symptom chart with you?>>

 

Thanks, great suggestions. We are going to a new pediatrician in two weeks who believes in PANDAS and Lyme so maybe I'll work on a symptom list. I have been wondering about dairy with him, so maybe that is worth looking into (all he's been eating lately)?

 

Our 23andme kits for the rest of us (DS's was done a while ago) are on their way, so maybe the new integrative doctor we added for DS15 will be helpful.

 

DS13 did shoot up a whole bunch of inches in the past few months so that probably doesn't help, and yikes, the acne! Probably should call derm about that too since he is good about washing and it doesnt seem to help : /

 

Thanks LLM. I needed someone to hit the pause button.

 

T.Anna

[3bmom]

Teenagers get the double whammy with hormones and everything at once. Dr T told me chronic fatigue is PANDAS unchecked. But is this chronic or a growth spurt? I did find viral issues with my older son who was tired and having focus issues. You have a Dr in place so don't panic. I think that is the hardest part. Dairy can be huge since it creates a morphine effect and also will contribute to the acne. You can make great milkshakes with chocolate almond milk and frozen bananas. Good Luck

[pr40]

consider this: one of your kids has a polen alergy and he is sneezing. after a year, the second kid starts sneezing at the same time. Now, it could be that the second kid caught a cold. But colds come with other symptoms which are easy to identify.

My suggestion would be, again, not to jump the gun but to understand what an autoimmune issue is. It is a condition, not an illness you get over. Conditions wax and wein. If you have one child with PANDAS, you can easily have another with a similar or less serious presentation.

On the other hand, mental illness does not seem to affect syblings -- if I understand that one correctly.

so, my question would be to treat or not to treat. and I would treat given that early treatment with abx seems to have good results.

Also, i don't see the down side of a month or two on abx. Then, once the kid is off abx, you will see if the symptoms come back