Massachusetts Group Walks To Raise Awareness of PANS/PANDAS
Scientists estimate that 1 in 200 children suffer from PANS or PANDAS but most people don’t even know what it is. PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections while PANS stands for Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. According to PANDAS Network “An affected child generally has a sudden, dramatic change in personality, displayed as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, tics or other abnormal movements, personality changes, decline in math and handwriting abilities, sensory sensitivities, restrictive eating and more.” The symptoms are confusing to parents, especially to those who are unaware of PANS/PANDAS.
The New England PANS/PANDAS Association held an awareness walk this past Sunday in Hull. I was honored to attend the event and to see first-hand the supportive community come together to try to raise awareness. The turnout was great, the weather was perfect, and the info was valuable. I produced the video below chronicling the event and to help the group’s mission of spreading awareness. Maybe it’ll help somebody identify something that has been perplexing them in their family unit. Thanks for checking it out. And if you’d like more info about PANS/PANDAS check out New England PANS/PANDAS website: www.NEPans.org
