pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder

pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococci

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PANDAS

Any of the childhood behavioral disorders (esp. tic disorders, Tourette's syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder) that begin before puberty and are associated with and worsened by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections (e.g., strep throat or scarlet fever). Researchers suspect that an autoimmune response to the infection is responsible for the syndrome.