A Parents Guide To Pandas Pans And Related Neuroimmune Disorders

Having a child who suddenly develops PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Strep), PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) or related conditions such as encephalitis can be a daunting challenge for parents. This clear guide explains the symptoms and diagnosis of PANDAS and PANS, with treatment options and recommended strategies for supporting children at home, at school, and in community settings. The book covers key symptoms including OCD, tics, anxiety, sensory issues and personality changes, with practical advice on medical management, nutrition, lifestyle, and addressing social and behavioural needs. Each chapter also includes handy sidebars with key information to remember, and action steps for overcoming challenges, managing relapse, family self-care and providing children with the best possible support.

Has your child's personality seemed to change overnight? Has he or she been exhibiting unusual symptoms like tics, obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety, oppositional defiance, aggression or rage? Have you seen other symptoms, which seem unrelated, like a decline in math and handwriting abilities, urinary issues, sensory issues or trouble sleeping? These are trademark symptoms of PANDAS/PANS.PANDAS and PANS are becoming more common in children, yet many in the medical community are unaware of these illnesses and are unable to diagnose and treat them properly. Whether you are just beginning on this journey and attempting to get a proper diagnosis for your child, or have been on this journey for a while and need help coping, The Parent's Survival Guide to PANDAS/PANS will help you navigate the emotional, physical and financial challenges of these illnesses.This parent-friendly handbook is designed to help you:?Recognize what is going on in your child?Learn how to obtain a proper diagnosis?Explore treatment options?Set expectations for your family and others?Gain support and self-care?Learn tips and tricks to help manage day-to-day?Connect with extensive resources?Relate to real, raw stories of others?Understand what it feels like to have the illness from children's firsthand accounts"Deborah Marcus has put her heart and experience into a very comprehensive guide to help parents along a journey that is often riddled with questions and uncertainty. As a clinician who treats many PANDAS/PANS patients, I know this book will help families find answers for their children in a more efficient and educated way." - Jana Roso, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and owner/founder of Neuronutrition Associates"This is an amazing firsthand-experience guide that will help other families that are dealing with this complicated and often misunderstood disorder." - Dr. Denis Bouboulis, Advanced Allergy, Immunology & Asthma P.C.

PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Strep) and PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) occur when an abnormal immune response produces brain inflammation, leading to unusual psychological symptoms in children. Symptoms can include OCD, tics, ADHD, anxiety disorders, sensory issues and marked personality changes. This practical handbook explains how educators can distinguish between these symptoms and pre-existing conditions, and offers strategies for supporting students with PANDAS and PANS in school settings. Contributions from experts provide educators with the understanding needed to be able to collaboratively identify PANDAS and PANS, and carry out effective interventions. As the rate of incidence of PANDAS and PANS increases, this book will be an essential resource for school staff in getting to grips with these complex disorders and overcoming the challenges they present.

This book is about a young boy’s journey with a harrowing illness called PANDAS, an acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus. He wakes up one morning, and overnight, is stricken with unusual and frightening symptoms that turn his world upside down. Some of the symptoms he experiences are anxiety & OCD. This happened all because an autoimmune response caused dysfunctional antibodies to invade the basal ganglia of the brain instead of fighting off the streptococcus bacteria. The boy has never even heard of PANDAS. After a long road, filled with doctor visits, blood draws, procedures & surgery, he is finally on the road to recovery. In time, he is able to forget about this harrowing illness. Then, the only PANDAS he knows of are the black and white bears at the zoo. www.PANDAS-DISORDER.com Keywords - PANDAS, PANS, Pediatric, Autoimmune, Neurological, Disorder, Streptococcus, Anxiety, OCD, Antibiotic.

In all branches of medicine, effective communication between health care professionals and patients, families and carers is essential to ensure first-class treatment. Increasing public awareness of health issues and the ready availability of health information have led the public to be more widely informed about common conditions and the treatments available. Patients therefore attend a medical consultation better informed so the need for improved communication skills is even greater. Skill is communication is a matter of personal ability which varies widely between individuals in the medical profession as in any other. In response, the aim of this book is to dispel the anxieties which contribute to poor communication. This book covers ethical and legal issues, planning difficult conversations, the patient's and doctor's perspectives, issues surrounding special groups such as children and the elderly, and coversations with patients from different cultural backgrounds. Outlines of possible clinical cases posing specific problems are included with guidance on how to handle them.

Over the last decade, the number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder has increased up to fortyfold. This is a trend exclusive to the United States, and one that, alarmingly, leads to most of the diagnosed children—some still in their infancy—being prescribed antipsychotic drugs, often in combination with anticonvulsants. These classes of drugs have dangerous side effects, including a doubling of mortality rates, shortened life span, extreme weight gain, and Type II diabetes. In this book, psychologist Sharna Olfman leads a team of widely known experts who examine that astonishing rise in the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder, particularly in the absence of any compelling evidence for either the validity of the criteria being used to diagnose it or the safety and effectiveness of the drugs being used to treat it. When a child is unnecessarily prescribed antipsychotic and anticonvulsant drugs, his or her mental and physical health may be irrecoverably compromised, says Olfman. With as many as two-and-a-half million children from across the socioeconomic spectrum now taking antipsychotics, we have set the stage for widescale child abuse. The contributors to this revealing and disturbing volume include psychiatrist David Healy, one of the world's leading authorities on psychotropic drugs; pediatrician Philip Landrigan, an internationally renowned health researcher; and Robert Whitaker, an award winning medical journalist. The contributors identify and explain complex and interrelated factors that have set the stage for the pediatric bipolar epidemic, and they recommend practice and policy changes to stem the tide of misdiagnosis and dangerous drug prescriptions.

Does your child have rages, OCD, tics, aggressive behavior, prolonged tantrums and/or anxiety? Is your child exhibiting sudden behavioral changes or a developmental regression? Your child may have PANS. PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is an umbrella term which includes diagnoses such as PANDAS, PITANDS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis--all of which describe a condition marked by concerning psychiatric and physical symptoms that often appear suddenly. Children in the US are being diagnosed with PANS at a very concerning rate. What is behind this epidemic? What makes a child vulnerable to these conditions? Most importantly, what can be done to bring to bring our kids back to good health? In this book you will learn:

This book will help exam takers pass the ASPPA DB Examination on Administrative Issues of Defined Benefit Plans. The questions are in the same format as those on the ASPPA DB exam. All of the questions are straightforward multiple-choice questions with five choices and one best answer. Part I of this book contains the sample exams with a total of 260 questions, the equivalent of four complete 65-question ASPPA DB exams. Each 65-question practice exam is followed by an answer key. After the answer key, the practice exam is displayed with the answers shown. Part II of this book has a study guide. There is a section for each topic covered on the ASPPA DB exam. The answers to the questions and the study guide include details on the math formulas needed for the exam.