Advice for Teachers & Schools

Teachers who are educating children with PANDAS will observe that these children have a relapsing remitting pattern to their disease. Sometimes they can appear to be relatively normal but can suddenly change and appear to have features that might even be considered to be autistic. The anxiety that these children experience is as a result of disordered thinking. Some of these children describe a “brain fog”. The inability to comprehend why they are experiencing compulsions leads to heightened anxiety and a pressure cooker effect. It is essential that they are able to express their compulsions without inhibition (assuming this can be done safely). Children with PANDAS may need to have considerable time off school. It is essential to listen to the parents and employ a degree of flexibility to their education.