Thank you to everyone who joined us at the State House today to mark PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day! This year we were able to celebrate critical legislation that was signed into law on January 1st that guaranteed health insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment.
As a refresher, PANDAS/PANS is a medical condition that can appear in children in as little as 24 hours and is caused by untreated viral or bacterial infections. Those affected experience symptoms such as OCD, extreme anxiety, angry rages, bodily tics, and hallucinations. Oftentimes, children with these conditions are unable to attend school for extended periods of time and their families’ home life is significantly disrupted.
Thanks to the advocacy of parents, my colleagues Rep. Cutler and Sen. Lewis, the New England Pans/Pandas Association, and others, we were able to get legislation passed that has made a real difference in these families’ lives.
