Pediatric Lyme

Lyme Disease Misdiagnosed as ADHD in Children Over the years in clinical practice I have evaluated a number of adolescents and children with suspected Lyme disease, often after symptoms had evolved over time. In some cases, the initial concern raised by families or schools was attention problems or behavioral changes. These situations sometimes lead clinicians […]

Why Lyme Disease Affects School Performance in Children Lyme disease school performance problems may occur when infection affects the brain, nervous system, sleep, and energy regulation. Children with Lyme disease may develop memory problems, attention difficulties, fatigue, headaches, and cognitive slowing that interfere with learning and classroom participation. While some children recover quickly after treatment,

Babesia Blocking Lyme Recovery For a complete overview of recovery, see our Lyme disease recovery guide. Recovery from Lyme disease is rarely straightforward. Many patients pursue multiple therapies—detox programs, dietary changes, and treatments for environmental exposures—hoping to calm persistent symptoms. But sometimes the obstacle to recovery is not what patients are treating—it is a coinfection

Sudden Behavioral Changes in Children With Lyme Disease Lyme disease can cause sudden behavioral symptoms in children, including irritability, aggression, anxiety, and oppositional behavior. These changes may appear abruptly in children who previously functioned well at home and in school. After 37 years treating Lyme disease, I have treated middle and high school students whose

Facial Nerve Palsy in Children With Lyme Disease A child who suddenly develops facial drooping is often diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. In Lyme-endemic regions, however, Lyme disease is a common cause of facial nerve palsy in children. Recognizing Lyme-related facial palsy is important because treatment strategies differ from those used for idiopathic Bell’s palsy. Facial

PANS-, PANDAS-, and OCD-like Presentations in Children With Lyme Disease Some children with Lyme disease develop sudden behavioral or psychiatric symptoms that resemble pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS). These symptoms may include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, mood changes, and difficulty concentrating. Because these presentations involve changes

Can Lyme Disease Cause Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children? Lyme disease can cause gastrointestinal symptoms in children, particularly when the infection affects the nervous system or contributes to dysautonomia. Although abdominal pain is not the most recognized sign of Lyme disease, some children develop nausea, appetite changes, abdominal discomfort, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or unexplained stomach pain

When Lyme Arthritis in Children Is Mistaken for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis When Lyme arthritis in children is mistaken for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, diagnosis and treatment can be delayed. Both conditions can present with swollen joints, minimal pain, and few systemic symptoms. Because the clinical features overlap, children living in Lyme-endemic areas may initially receive a

Herxheimer Reaction in Neonatal Lyme Disease: A Case Report A Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (JHR) is a transient inflammatory response that can occur during antibiotic treatment of spirochetal infections. The reaction was first described in patients treated for syphilis but has also been reported in other spirochetal diseases including leptospirosis, relapsing fever, and Lyme disease. Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions

POTS in children with Lyme disease may present with dizziness, fatigue, brain fog, palpitations, and school difficulty. These symptoms are often overlooked as anxiety or behavioral problems rather than autonomic dysfunction.