S5 E5: Understanding PANDAS with Dr. Sarah O'Dor

S5 E5 Understanding PANDAS with Dr. Sarah O'Dor

In this episode, we discuss a rare pediatric condition known as PANDAS - Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. PANDAS is a phenomenon when a child has a spontaneous manifestation of psychiatric issues following a strep infection. The field has only recently started to research and understand this condition over the past few decades. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a core feature of PANDAS, among others such as vocal or motor tics, that comes on suddenly and has a strong impact on the child’s life.

Dr. Sarah O’Dor is an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Research at the Pediatric Neuropsychiatry and Immunology Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, otherwise known as the “PANDAS Clinic.” Dr. ...