SR0236 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0236 LRB101 11593 MST 57605 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) create the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children, causing previously healthy and emotionally adjusted children to experience severe anxiety and emotional disturbances; and

WHEREAS, Children with PANS and PANDAS tend to manifest some of the following symptoms: tics or other abnormal movements, severe separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, irritability, aggression, personality changes, ADHD, marked deterioration in learning and school performance, and developmental regression, including deterioration in handwriting; and

WHEREAS, PANS is broader than PANDAS as it includes not only disorders associated with a preceding infection, such as Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, Mono, Lyme, viruses, and more, but also acute onset non-infectious triggers, such as environmental factors and metabolic dysfunction; treatment plans similar to those for PANDAS should be attempted; and

WHEREAS, Children with PANS and PANDAS may experience moderate to dramatic improvement with antibiotics, steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, or plasmapheresis; and

WHEREAS, Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health, along with 13 Centers for Excellence throughout the country, are currently engaged in extensive research to elucidate the causes and develop further effective treatment options for PANS and PANDAS; and

WHEREAS, Researchers at Moleculera Labs at the University of Oklahoma have developed PANS and PANDAS blood testing procedures; and

WHEREAS, The expert members of the PANDAS Physicians Network, a physicians specialty society, have developed and published standard treatment methods; and

WHEREAS, The actual number of children suffering from PANS and PANDAS has been estimated to be approximately one out of every 200 children in the United States; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of this serious health issue; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the dates of October 9 of 2019 and 2020 as PANS and PANDAS Awareness Day in the State of Illinois.