SJR69 Summary

• Recognizes October 9, 2018, as PANDAS Awareness Day in Alabama.

• PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection) and PANS (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome) cause sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder and severe anxiety in previously healthy children.

• Approximately one in 200 children have PANS or PANDAS, affecting roughly 15,000 children in Alabama.

• Treatment options include antibiotics, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and plasmapheresis, but many insurers do not cover these treatments which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press to increase awareness among parents, policymakers, and medical providers in Alabama.