Anyone got experience of teen with PANDA

[Abiamber]

My 15 year old Dd has rapidly developed OCD symptoms relating to germs. In a matter of weeks we have gone from her asking me all the time to wash my hands before I touch her food to not allowing me to sit on her bed because of the germs on my clothes and getting very distressed when sisters boyfriend visits because he has different germs. She has other anxiety issues and behaviour issues but I wonder if this new development could relate to a nasty cold and sore throat she had a couple of months ago. I had never heard of PANDA until I read it on mumsnet a couple of weeks ago. Do medical professionals recognise this condition

Hi,

PANDA is a difficult one because some places recognise it and prescribe antibiotics, and others can focus purely on reducing the anxiety. Ideally, an approach which combines the two would work best.

You could try talking to your GP and see if he has heard of it? A blood test is usually taken - sometimes a simple process, sometimes a complex one with fought for referrals needed.

Knowing what's available in your local area will help. If your GP doesn't know then he might advise you to visit one of the departments in hospital. As a newly recognised condition, it is very hit and miss.

Good luck!

As a child psychotherapist, I would be wondering about the trigger to the anxiety and why it is manifesting in this way and why now. I recommend going to British Assoc. Counselling Psychotherapy: “Find A Therapist” drop down option & looking for an accredited child psychotherapy specialist. Also a good idea to touch base with your GP.

PANDA? Sorry, have googled and done a Mum’s net search but can’t find what it is.

Paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcus

Rapid onset of OCD following illness.

Google “Panda ocd”

Why would you think it is a rare autoimmune disorder rather than OCD which is very common?

Thanks.

I guess I was hoping that it was something that could be treated with medication rather than a mh issue. It’s a while since I started this thread and since then I’m pretty sure that it’s not PANDAS and is straight forward!! Ocd. We are on the waiting list to get some help with this

I would def recommend and push to see if there is a physical reason behind this. Even 93% of people at a London mental health hospital were found to have bit D deficiencies.
Pandas is rare but it doesn’t mean it can’t be that or something similar. Much better to see if that can be looked at rather than just writing it off as OCD even though that is more likely

Thanks. Pretty sure it is ocd and it is spiralling out of control. Also think there are other things to look at. Her behaviour flair ups are worse at certain times of the month. Her diet is dreadful. She only comes out of her room to go to school. Lies in bed with the curtains closed the rest of the time. I am trying to seek professional help but she doesn’t want it. I feel that I am on the edge and I don’t know how to get her the help she desperately needs. Today she wants me to buy some saucepans just for cooking her food! Do I do it or is that fuelling her ocd.
Last night she called me a stupid fucking bitch for slicing her bread the wrong way. That’s not ocd that’s being a disrespectful brat. It’s getting hard to separate the two. Think I should start a new thread about dealing with the ocd because I’m wondering if my actions are making it worse