HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2022-4653, by Representatives Thai, Pollet, Wicks,
Orwall, Morgan, Fey, Walen, and Callan
1 WHEREAS, Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders
2 associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-
3 onset neuropsychiatric syndromes (PANS) involve a misdirected
4 autoimmune process that affects or weakens the blood-brain barrier in
5 children; and
6 WHEREAS, Children afflicted with PANDAS or PANS display sudden,
7 dramatic changes in personality manifesting as obsessive compulsive
8 disorder (OCD), together with accompanying symptoms following a
9 strep, bacterial, or viral infection; and
10 WHEREAS, Accompanying symptoms may include tics, intense fear or
11 anxiety, depression, behavioral regression, deterioration in school
12 performance, sensory sensitivities, severely restricted food intake,
13 and more; and
14 WHEREAS, It is estimated that at least one in 200 children in the
15 United States are affected by PANDAS/PANS; and
16 WHEREAS, Children with PANDAS/PANS can often go undiagnosed,
17 misdiagnosed, or undertreated. PANDAS/PANS is likely as common as
18 pediatric cancer and pediatric diabetes and can seriously affect
19 health outcomes in a child's life; and
20 WHEREAS, Established standards of care for treatment of PANDAS/
21 PANS include antibiotics, steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin,
22 plasmapheresis, cognitive behavioral therapy, and anti-inflammatory
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 1 medications and are used based on the needs of the child and the
2 severity of an individual case; and
3 WHEREAS, Greater public awareness of this health issue is
4 imperative to improve timely diagnosis and access to treatment so
5 that health outcomes for affected children may be improved;
6 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives
7 recognize and honor the patients and families affected by PANDAS/PANS
8 and the practitioners who assist them.
9
10 I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of
11 Resolution 4653 adopted by the House of Representatives
12 February 24, 2022
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17 __________________________
18 Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk
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