Assembly Resolution No. 605

BY: M. of A. Malliotakis

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
October 9, 2017, as PANDAS/PANS (Pediatric
Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Disorders) Awareness
Day in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious
illnesses that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 9, 2017, as
PANDAS/PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Disorders) Awareness
Day in the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, PANDAS, Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Associated with Streptococcal Infections, is the sudden onset of OCD
often displayed as severe anxiety and emotional disturbances plus two or
more of the following symptoms: tics or other abnormal movements; severe
separation anxiety, generalized anxiety; irritability, emotional
lability, aggression, personality changes; ADHD, inability to
concentrate; sensory sensitivities; deterioration in learning abilities
and school performance; developmental and age regression (including
deterioration in handwriting); sleep and nighttime difficulties; and/or
urinary frequency or daytime/nighttime secondary enuresis; and

WHEREAS, The onset of symptoms is corresponding to an infection,
usually strep; PANDAS children may have moderate to dramatic improvement
with antibiotics within one week of treatment, however, further
interventions may be needed; and

WHEREAS, How to stop the entire syndrome is still debated, but many
parents and doctors report prolonged antibiotics (two months to one
year) and/or IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) treatment or
plasmaphoresis; and

WHEREAS, PITAND, Pediatric Infection-Triggered Autoimmune
Neuropsychiatric Disorders, is similar to PANDAS in terms of
presentation; however, it consists of a broader list of possible
triggers, not only strep; triggers may include Mycoplasma Pneumonia,
Mono, Lyme, viruses, and more; and

WHEREAS, PANS, Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndromes, is
a new classification introduced in the 2012 research paper From Research
Subgroup to Clinical Syndrome: Modifying the PANDAS Criteria to Describe
PANS; and

WHEREAS, PANS is broader than PANDAS and PITAND as it includes not
only disorders associated with a preceding infection, but also
acute-onset non-infectious triggers, such as environmental and
metabolic; no treatment plan for this syndrome has been defined at this
time, but treatment plans similar to PANDAS should be attempted; and

WHEREAS, The three criteria for PANS are: abrupt, dramatic onset of
obsessive-compulsive disorder or severely restricted food intake;
concurrent presence of additional neuropsychiatric symptoms, with
similarly severe and acute onset; and symptoms are not better explained
by a known neurological or medical disorder; and

WHEREAS, A conservative estimate of the prevalence of PANDAS/PANS
cases in the United States alone is 162,000; however, the true
prevalence of PANDAS/PANS is not known; and

WHEREAS, PANDAS/PANS is likely as common as illnesses like Pediatric
Cancer, Pediatric Diabetes, and ALS, and can seriously affect the
healthy outcome of a child's life; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 500,000 children are diagnosed with OCD in
the United States; and roughly 148,000 children are diagnosed with
Tourette Syndrome in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Founded in 2009, PANDAS Network.org is a non-profit
organization that raises awareness of PANDAS onset and course of illness
by providing: an ongoing database of new PANDAS cases (over 1,000
tracked thus far); parent referrals to support groups and physicians; a
conduit for new researchers to navigate collaborations and new treating
physicians to find information; online newsletters to parents and
physicians about latest research; and information that is medically
accurate and reviewed by our Scientific Advisory Board; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
this serious health issue, and more must be done to increase activity at
the local, State and national levels; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 9, 2017, as
PANDAS/PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Disorders) Awareness
Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York, and PANDAS Network.org.