ASK DR. LIEBERMAN

Question:

We know that there's information that the Strep bacteria can cause obsessive compulsive disorder.  Can you elaborate on this?  Would getting the tonsils out help the child in any way?  Is there anything to take to prevent Strep?

Answer:

Sedo, S and colleagues reported on the connection of streptococcal bacteria and a whole host of neurologic impairment they called pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders.  These included tourette syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder and more recently autism.  We have experienced a worsening of these disorders when these children come in contract with the Strep organism.   The children need only be carriers of the germ and not necessarily have an acute infection to be affected.  If tonsils are the focus of carrier state, then tonsillectomy could be preventive.  Parents need to be aware that milk cross reacts against Strep so that Strep prone children may do better off milk.