Imagine putting your kid to bed one night and seeing your kid wake up a completely different person the next day. You feel like your kid is an exorcist. Maybe it’s a dream, a nightmare. Nope — it is the very real group of disorders called PANDAS/PANS.
PANDAS/PANS are autoimmune conditions characterized by an “abrupt onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and/or severe eating restrictions and at least two concomitant cognitive, behavioral, or neurological symptoms.”
These other symptoms include uncontrollable tics, severe phobias, and aggressive behavior.
PANS stands for Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. PANDAS is not the cute bear — it stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections.
Massachusetts’ Senate Bill 2935, An Act relative to insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS, is in the House Committee on Ways and Means.
This bill would require private insurance companies to cover treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy…
