Just wanted to update you all on my daughter's friends progress.  She is doing better and they believe they have found the cause of her sudden onset of panic attacks.

She has a condition called PANDA.  ( can't remember what it stands for)
It is caused by a Strep infection believe it or not.  She had gotten sick about a week before all of this started.  She had a sore throat, went to the Dr. and was tested for Strep.  The rapid test came back negative so her mom thought nothing more of it.  Turns out the Dr. did not do a 24 hour culture and blood tests later showed that she did indeed have it.  

PANDA occurs when the infection triggers the part of the brain that causes some people to develop OCD and manifests as either compulsive traits or panic attacks.

She is finishing up a course of antibiotics and is returning to her old self.  She will continue to see her counselor because it is likely that she will need to retrain herself to respond to situations normally again.  Once the area of the brain has been triggered it is the only way to completely fix it.

You all were so concerned so I wanted to share with you what I learned.

Love,

Jeannie

Thats great news, Jean!

Vibes still going out!  :-*

Thanks for letting us know, Jean.   :)

That's very interesting, really.  Never heard of that condition, but obviously it's good to be aware of it.

Best wishes,

George

That is so scary. That a strep throat could cause that...

Thanks for making us more aware of another rare condition.

Maybe they'll find something like that for CH one day. It's going to have be be food related, given the grocery-store cures floating around here lately.  ::)

Good news....glad she's doing better.

Interesting...never heard of such a thing.

Jackie

Good grief! And we all thought the worst... Never heard of such a thing. Give her a big hug and tell her mom we're all praying for her.

Hugs BD

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Sounds good here Jean!

Charlie

I thought it was very interesting too!  It seems that doctors began noticing a link between sore throats and sudden onset OCD and panic attacks.  Most of the children that get PANDA do not test positive on the rapid Strep test that is done in office but do grow it in the 24 hour culture.  

I used to take my kids to this same office until they missed my daughter's kidney problems.  She went undiagnosed for three years.  BTW, this office was not the one that finally found the PANDA.   They had never heard of it.

It is best to insist that they do a culture even if the rapid test comes back ok.  Better to be safe than sorry.

Thank you for all your well wishes.

Jeannie

Jeannie,

I was online the other day looking for info io OCD and found this info. Very odd, I thought. I would have never guessed that the two were related. How long was she having anxiety? I am glad that they figured it out. ;)

Gina

Great news, Jean. Thanks for letting us know. :)

Sanna

Gina,

She became ill at the very beginning of June.  The panic attacks began just after that.  It was almost an over night change.  One day she was an outgoing, happy child the next day she was afraid to go anywhere.  It has not been a very good summer for her and Morgan, my daughter misses her friend.  I just talked to her mom and today is not a good day.

Jeannie