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Yahoo Finance Plus Dr. Briggs E. Cook and His Family Are Honored by Mayor Rusty Knox of Davidson, NC Announcing PANDAS Awareness Day
Dr. Cook and His Wife Kia are the Parents of Young Twins Who Have Been Diagnosed with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections
LOA ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2018 / Dr. Briggs E. Cook, a board certified eye and facial plastic surgeon, is pleased to announce that he and his family were recently honored by Mayor Rusty Knox in Davidson, NC announcing PANDAS Awareness Day.
To learn more about PANDAS and the Cook family's personal connection to the disorder please visit https://drbriggscook.net/briggs-cook-pandas/.
In honor of PANDAS/PANS National Awareness Day, Mayor Knox of the Town of Davidson read and signed a proclamation in honor of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Awareness Day. Dr. Cook also detailed his efforts to raise awareness and head towards a bill that would mandate coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment. Dr. Cook is meeting this week with a North Carolina House of Representatives member (Greg Murphy – R) to raise awareness and establish a Council for Awareness of PANDAS/PANS.
"We are so thankful to live in a community that supports its citizens and constituents," Dr. Cook noted, adding that he and his wife Kia have a deeply personal connection to PANDAS.
When Dr. Cook and Kia welcomed their twins into the world 7 years ago, the babies were happy and healthy. A few years later, the Cooks noticed some unique behaviors that they had never seen in any of their other children. After going to numerous doctors, the twins were finally diagnosed with PANDAS.
PANDAS is caused by streptococcal infections (strep throat) where antibodies mistakenly attack proteins in the brain, resulting in neurologic or psychiatric symptoms. As Dr. Cook noted, common symptoms include the dramatic onset of OCD, tics, anxiety, irritability, aggression, sleep disturbances, and motor abnormalities.
"PANDAS was first officially identified in 1998, thus there is still a lot of research to be done and awareness to be raised," he said, adding that oftentimes, PANDAS is misdiagnosed as mental illness, and in younger children the symptoms are often ignored as something they'll just "grow out of".
"This not only delays treatment, but it can be a very stressful and emotional time for all involved."
Dr. Cook said he and Kia encourage other parents of children with PANDAS to support each other, as well as to conduct their own research, join support groups both online and in their communities and to spread awareness about the condition.
About Dr. Briggs E. Cook:
Dr. Briggs E. Cook and his wife encourage other parents of children with PANDAS to unite and support each other. For more information and to learn more about PANDAS please go to: https://drbriggscook.net/briggs-cook-pandas/.
Contact:
Clark Fields
(949) 555-2861
SOURCE: Dr. Briggs E. Cook
