Skip to main content

Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at OPM.gov.

Transforming the understanding
and treatment of mental illnesses.

 Archived Content

The National Institute of Mental Health archives materials that are over 4 years old and no longer being updated. The content on this page is provided for historical reference purposes only and may not reflect current knowledge or information.

Guidelines published for treating PANS/PANDAS

Science Update

7 happy children running outside

 An expert panel has published guidelines for treatment of Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and a subset of patients diagnosed with PAN Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS). The syndrome of sudden onset obsessive compulsive disorder and/or severe eating restrictions, and associated characteristic cognitive, behavioral or neurological symptoms, was first identified in the l990s by Susan Swedo, M.D., now chief of the NIMH intramural Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience Branch. In an introduction to a 3-part series of articles published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (JCAP), July 20, 2017, Swedo, and colleagues, provide an overview of recommended treatment options, including psychiatric medications, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and immunological therapies.

For more information:
Revised Treatment Guidelines Released for Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS/PANDAS) 
JCAP press release