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 Behavior changes can appear suddenly Symptoms may seem psychiatric Neurologic causes may be missed Infection can affect behavior 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

Facial Palsy in Children: When It’s Lyme Disease—Not Bell’s Palsy A child’s face suddenly droops. It’s often called Bell’s palsy. But in Lyme regions, that may be the wrong diagnosis. Facial palsy Lyme disease children is a common but often underrecognized presentation in endemic areas. A child who suddenly develops facial drooping is frequently diagnosed

PANS-, PANDAS-, and OCD-like Symptoms in Children With Lyme Disease Sudden anxiety or OCD-like symptoms may appear Often mistaken for primary psychiatric conditions Infections may play a role in some children Some children with Lyme disease develop sudden behavioral or psychiatric symptoms resembling PANS or PANDAS, including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, mood changes, and difficulty concentrating.

Can Lyme Disease Cause Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children? Stomach symptoms aren’t typical—but they can occur Often linked to autonomic nervous system involvement Symptoms may be missed when testing appears normal Lyme disease can cause gastrointestinal symptoms in children, particularly when the infection affects the nervous system or contributes to dysautonomia. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} Although abdominal pain is

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 Lyme Disease: What Happens After Treatment Starts Symptoms may worsen after treatment begins This reaction is temporary but concerning Recognizing it prevents misdiagnosis Quick Answer: A Herxheimer reaction in Lyme disease is a temporary inflammatory response that occurs after starting antibiotics. Symptoms such as fever, chills, and worsening pain can appear within

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.