Focus

[trggirl]

I am still in the initial stages of learning about PANDAS. We have an appointment with a doctor next week which will hopefully help.

 

After having gone through tics after a strep episode as well as some other symptoms, my daughter's main issue right now is focus along with excessive talking. If it turns out that she does have PANDAS, do the antibiotics help with focus or do I still need to be looking for natural treatment to help with that?

[Suzan]

Hi and welcome. We use Attend and Extress products by Vaxa which I find to really help with ADHD type symptoms.

 

http://www.vaxa.com/636.cfm

 

I have 2 girls with pandas and I find that they both have responded very differently to antibiotics so there may be no way to know how your dd will respond. I hope that antibiotics are the answer for you but if it does not resolve your issues, check out Attend and also, omega 3-6-9, a good broad spectrum multi vitamin like Kirkman Complete and a good probiotic to combat yeast with the antibiotic. I'm sure others will have really good suggestions too.

 

HUGS!

 

Susan

[Megs_Mom]

I am still in the initial stages of learning about PANDAS. We have an appointment with a doctor next week which will hopefully help.

 

After having gone through tics after a strep episode as well as some other symptoms, my daughter's main issue right now is focus along with excessive talking. If it turns out that she does have PANDAS, do the antibiotics help with focus or do I still need to be looking for natural treatment to help with that?

 

For us, we found that focus returned with the OCD was dealt with - we also had excessive talking & lack of focus - but it was usually in an effort to distract herself from bad thoughts or from something that was upsetting the OCD. She had so many bad thoughts going on, that it was very difficult for her to focus (for example, when sitting at school in a chair, she might suddenly think that the chair was contaminated because john sat in it last year, and he got sick this week - or that a child nearby sneezed, so she had to do something that was not appropriate at the time - it was not rational thoughts - so she did not want to tell anyone. She knew they did not make sense, but felt compelled to react anyway they were so strong).

 

One of the things that we noticed on Prendisone was that her focus immediately returned, and she could sit still working on a project for a long period of time, so there seemed to be some sensory (ants in the pants) component too.

 

This returned slowly for us with Azith and ERP. I used to feel like I spent much of the day saying "Meg, FOCUS!" - but now that is only occassional, and more age appropriate. She has always been a "high action" child and that remains. I think she was always very mildly "sensory disorder" anyway, but we would never have known had PANDAS not turned that aspect of her into a nightmare. Now she occassionally gets into trouble at school - but more in the manner of a very smart but slightly rambunctious boy. The one the teachers like, not the one that they want to transfer to another class! It is worse if she is not challenged by the work, but now seems normal.

 

In terms of supplements, Meg takes Azith, multivitamin, vit d (for immune) and Omega 3's (and prevacid for tummy). We use chewable gummies for all the vitamins.

[EAMom]

IAfter having gone through tics after a strep episode as well as some other symptoms, my daughter's main issue right now is focus along with excessive talking. If it turns out that she does have PANDAS, do the antibiotics help with focus or do I still need to be looking for natural treatment to help with that?

 

Could this be ADHD (which is a PANDAS symptom)? Or a combo of ADHD with OCD?

 

I would think treatment for PANDAS (antibiotics, possibly later steroids/pex/ivig) would help this.

 

Have you tried Advil (Ibuprofen) and noticed a difference (works for about 6-8 hours)?

 

What antibiotics/dose is your dd on?

[EAMom]

Oh...I found this. http://www.helpforadd.com/criteria-for-add/ Excessive talking and inattentiveness (lack of focus) are criteria for ADHD. Since in your dd's case it might be a PANDAS symptom (vs. "real ADHD") I would treat the underlying cause (PANDAS and strep) and NOT treat as regular ADHD (ritalin etc.):

 

Inattentive Symptoms

· often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork,

work, or other activities;

· often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities;

 

· often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly;

 

· often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish school work, chores, or

duties in the work place (this failure is not due deliberately refusing to do it or not

understanding instructions);

 

· often has difficulty organizing tasks or activities;

 

· often avoids or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort;

 

· often loses things necessary for tasks or activities;

 

· is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli;

 

· is often forgetful in daily activities;

 

 

 

Hyperactive/Impulsive Symptoms

· often fidgets with hands or squirms in seat;

· often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected;

 

· often runs about or climbs excessively in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents and adults, may be limited to subjective feelings

of restlessness;

 

· often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly;

 

· is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor"

 

· often talks excessively;

 

· often blurts out answers before questions have been completed;

 

· often has difficulty awaiting turn;

 

· often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g. butts into conversations or games)

 

To avoid diagnosing individuals who show only isolated difficulties, at least 6 inattentive symptoms and/or 6 hyperactive/impulsive symptoms must be present to possibly qualify for an ADHD/ADD diagnosis. In addition, these symptoms must have been present for at least 6 months to a degree that is considered inappropriate for the individual's age.

[trggirl]

Hi EAMom,

 

I don't have a diagnosis of PANDAS yet and I am not totally convinced she has it. We are seeing a doctor Thursday. Interestingly though, she came down with strep this past Saturday and she is now having her first motor tic in a very long time. So it is looking more and more like PANDAS.

 

I am glad to hear that the focus should be improved when the PANDAS is treated. In so many ways, she does not fit the typical ADHD profile and her teacher says she is not like other ADHD kids she has had in the past. My daughter remains a puzzle to her teacher. The teacher has told me she just can't put her finger on what the problem is, but there is definitely a big problem. When I read Faith's description of their afternoons with homework, that is exactly what we go through. It is tough. I just wasn't sure that clearing the Strep would help the focus problem or would damage have already been done??!!

 

Thank you for your input Suzan and Meg's Mom. I truly appreciate it and it gives me some hope that this can be beat.

[bronxmom2]

Focus was a huge aspect of our problems as well... school experience was almost exactly as you described... teacher had never seen anything quite like it, ADHD did not seem to quite fit but something was obviously wrong.

 

My son recently (3 weeks ago) had PEX and I would say that his behavior problems are almost 100% better, but the focus problem remains. It's better, but the problem is still there. I really want to avoid adhd medicine, so I am watching it for now. I am homeschooling my child. School doesn't work for him. He started out in a gifted school (disaster because of the focus problems) and then tried a nearby progressive school (BIGGER disaster because he was bored out of his mind). So now he's home. This has the advantage of keeping him away from strep.

 

I do encourage you to keep looking for the root causes, and DO NOT accept a label that does not feel right to you.

 

I am still hoping that the focus problems will be the last ones to resolve, and it will all be magically fixed for my son.

[trggirl]

Bronxmom2, please, please post if you come up with something.