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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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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