PANS PANDAS UK

Understanding the Connection Between PANS/PANDAS and Sensory Needs: Latest Research Findings

Understanding the Connection Between PANS/PANDAS and Sensory Needs: Latest Research Findings

Many families have reported the onset of sensory needs in their child following the onset of PANS/PANDAS. Misophonia (sensitivity to sound) is frequently mentioned, but vision, hearing, touch, body awareness (proprioception) and balance (vestibular) senses can all be affected.

This much-needed new research explores whether a child’s sensory needs changed during flares and whilst in remission. It also looked at whether those children in remission had returned back to their pre-onset baseline in terms of sensory needs. The findings echo what our families have been reporting,

That children with PANS/PANDAS can develop sensory needs, and that these are more severe during a flare

The children can continue to experience sensory needs during remission.

That more research is needed to find out the longer-term picture of whether some children are going back to their baseline (re sensory needs) following a flare.

It also outlines the importance of affected children undergoing a comprehensive assessment with an occupational therapist. Thank you to Newby et al for this research. Please share with any occupational therapists, educational psychologists, teachers and any further relevant professionals and families.

Read the research in full here.

Footer Pattern

Glossary

  • ADHD
    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • AE
    Auto-immune Encephalitis
  • ARFID
    Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
  • ASD
    Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • CAMHS
    Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
  • CBT
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Dysgraphia
    difficulty writing by hand
  • EHCP
    Education, Health and Care Plan
  • Emotional Lability
    Rapid, and dramatic changes in mood (for example uncontrollable laughter to crying)
  • Enuresis
    wetting
  • GAS
    Group A Streptococcal infection
  • NHSE
    NHS England
  • NICE
    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
  • OCD
    Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • PP
    PANS PANDAS
  • PPUK
    PANS PANDAS UK
  • PPN
    PANS Physicians Network
  • PPSG
    PANS PANDAS Steering Group
  • SENCo
    Special Educational Needs Coordinator
  • SIGN
    Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network to the glossary
  • Tic
    Sudden repetitive movement (motor tic) or sound (vocal tic) which is difficult or impossible to control