Solving a medical mystery – Thank you for making people aware of the concept that strep infections can cause sudden onset of obsessive/compulsive disorder in children [“Little boy, big fears,” Sept. 27. ]
The phenomenon of PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) results in serious behavioral and emotional changes. Countless children and families suffer needlessly, pursuing treatments that can’t be effective until antibiotics are prescribed.
As stated in the article, many cases of OCD develop slowly and are not attributable to PANDAS. But when onset is sudden and dramatic, why not rule out PANDAS by conducting a blood test and administering a trial course of antibiotics?
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