Do Steroids Help Kids with PANS Recover Faster? A Closer Look

Dr. Kumar’s Take:

This large Stanford study looked at how well oral steroids work for kids with PANS or PANDAS. It found that corticosteroids helped shorten flares, especially when given early. Kids who took steroids had faster improvement and more durable relief. While not a cure, this approach may offer families a tool to get their child back to baseline faster, especially if used at the right time and for long enough. A well-designed clinical trial is still needed, but the results are promising.

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What Really Works for PANS or PANDAS? A Review of 698 Cases

Dr. Kumar’s Take:

This large community-based survey gives us one of the clearest pictures yet of what works, and what doesn’t, for treating PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) or PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus). The key insight? Aggressive early treatment of infections and inflammation works better than just psych meds. Long courses of broad-spectrum antibiotics, IVIG in immune-deficient patients, and even common NSAIDs like ibuprofen made a measurable impact. SSRIs and psych meds were hit-or-miss, often poorly tolerated. If your child is struggling with sudden-onset OCD or tics, make sure infections and inflammation are fully addressed. Don’t stop at psychiatric meds alone.

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Can Azithromycin Help Kids With Sudden OCD? A Closer Look at PANDAS and PANS

Dr. Kumar’s Take:

This small pilot study suggests that azithromycin, a common antibiotic, may reduce OCD symptoms in children with PANDAS or PANS, especially if tics are also present. While results were mixed across different rating scales, but many children improved noticeably within just 4 weeks.

Key Takeaways:

✔ Azithromycin led to a stronger drop in OCD symptoms on one key clinical scale.
✔ More kids in the azithromycin group met the “treatment responder” criteria.
✔ Children with tics showed even more improvement.
✔ No major side effects, but possible heart rhythm issues mean caution is needed.

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Do Surgeries or Medications Help Kids with PANDAS OCD? Here's What the Research Shows

Dr. Kumar’s Take:

This systematic review looked at whether medical treatments like antibiotics, IVIG, and steroids—or surgical options like tonsil and adenoid removal—help improve OCD symptoms in kids with PANDAS or PANS.

While both surgery and medication showed benefits, one treament didn’t stand out over the others. This highlights the urgent need for larger, high-quality studies with clear protocols. Until then, treatments should be individualized and often involve a combination of approaches.

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