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Health Topics/Mental Disorders/Mental Health/Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

What is Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric OCD?

Marla Deibler, PsyD
Marla Deibler, PsyD
Psychology
In 1998, Dr. Susan Swedo, a researcher at NIMH, first described in the scientific literature a subtype of OCD in which children demonstrated an abrupt onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms (OCD, tics, ADHD-like symptoms, anxiety) with a “saw-toothed” course, preceded by streptococcal infection.  This syndrome was termed PANDAS, Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections.  In PANDAS, the body’s immune system is over-reactive to strep bacteria, leading to psychiatric and neurological symptoms. 
Wayne K. Goodman, MD
Wayne K. Goodman, MD on behalf of The Mount Sinai Health System
Psychiatry
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus or PANDAS is the dramatic sudden onset of OCD and tics in children. In this video, Wayne Goodman, MD, psychiatrist at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, explains PANDAS.

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