Mysterious Wave of Sudden Mental Disorders in Children Linked to COVID-19 Infections Alarms Doctors

Medical News: A growing body of evidence is shedding light on an unsettling medical phenomenon affecting children and adolescents in the wake of COVID-19 infections. A new study has revealed that some previously healthy young individuals are suddenly developing severe neuropsychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), psychosis, tics, rage, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and even catatonia shortly after contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.


Mysterious Wave of Sudden Mental Disorders in Children Linked to COVID-19 Infections Alarms Doctors

Thailand Medical News had previously covered numerous studies that also similarly warned about how exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus could trigger numerous kinds of psychiatric and mental disorders in children and teenagers.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/children-and-young-adults-have-increased-risk-of-developing-neuropsychiatric-conditions-as-a-result-of-covid-19-infection
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/even-mild-covid-19-is-causing-new-onset-of-psychiatric-disorders-in-children
 
This Medical News report is based on an in-depth case series published by a team of American researchers from several respected institutions, including Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth College, the University of North Carolina, Colgate University, and Stanford University School of Medicine. These experts collaborated through the Neuroimmune Psychiatric Disorders Program to document and analyze eight pediatric cases involving sudden neuropsychiatric symptoms following confirmed COVID-19 infections.
 
The Onset of a Hidden Epidemic in the Wake of COVID
The study highlights an underrecognized consequence of SARS-CoV-2: the virus's ability to trigger severe neurological and psychiatric symptoms in young patients. While the neurotropic nature of the virus in adults is well-documented - linked to conditions ranging from brain fog and fatigue to encephalitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome - the impact on children has only recently begun to surface.
 
In this new case series, the researchers detailed how children, within days or weeks of even mild COVID-19 symptoms, experienced dramatic behavioral and psychological changes. The eight cases, all involving children between ages 5 and 17, documented the rapid onset of symptoms like obsessive behaviors, delusions, aggression, food refusal, regression, tics, hallucinations, and social withdrawal. Several of the cases were diagnosed with Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), a condition thought to arise from immune responses to infections. />  
A Close Look at the Cases
The youngest patient, a five-year-old girl, developed severe OCD and rage issues within ten days of her COVID diagnosis. Despite an initially mild infection, her mental health spiraled, resulting in school refusal, excessive rituals, and intense separation anxiety. Another child, age 14, developed ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), vocal tics, and panic attacks. She eventually recovered after undergoing treatment with NSAIDs, antimicrobials, and exposure-based therapy.
 
One of the most dramatic cases involved a 17-year-old girl with autism who developed catatonia, severe withdrawal, and psychotic symptoms including hallucinations. Her condition was so serious that she required intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to regain normal functioning.
 
Another 11-year-old boy with pre-existing ADHD experienced a worsening of his OCD symptoms after a COVID infection, progressing to such an extent that he required treatment with IVIg and steroids. After several rounds of therapy, he returned to baseline and resumed normal activities.
 
Each case followed a similar timeline: a mild or moderate COVID infection, followed by a lag of days or weeks before the onset of intense psychological and behavioral changes. Standard psychiatric treatments often failed to produce significant improvements until anti-inflammatory therapies, immunomodulators like IVIg, or steroids were introduced.
 
Searching for Answers in the Immune System
The underlying mechanisms, the researchers believe, are related to immune dysregulation triggered by SARS-CoV-2. The virus appears to induce a cascade of inflammatory responses that affect the brain. These include activation of cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha, microglial inflammation in brain regions like the basal ganglia, and in some cases, the presence of autoantibodies targeting brain structures.
 
The pattern is similar to what is seen in other post-infectious autoimmune conditions like Sydenham chorea and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections). In some patients, the team found evidence of reactivated infections such as Epstein-Barr virus or Mycoplasma pneumoniae, further suggesting a complex interplay between viral triggers and immune responses.
 
In cases where children met the criteria for PANS, treatments followed established protocols involving a combination of antibiotics, NSAIDs, and psychiatric interventions. In more severe cases, IVIg and corticosteroids were added. Several children experienced dramatic improvements following this integrative approach.
 
Why Are Children at Risk
The researchers emphasized that children and adolescents may respond differently than adults to viral infections like SARS-CoV-2. The developing immune system and brain may be more vulnerable to inflammatory responses, leading to abrupt onset of psychiatric symptoms. Importantly, many of these children had no significant psychiatric history prior to the infection.
 
Furthermore, these disorders emerged even after mild or asymptomatic COVID infections, making it all the more difficult to detect and treat early. Alarmingly, many pediatric patients were not screened for neuropsychiatric symptoms during post-infection follow-ups, leaving these conditions undiagnosed and untreated until they became severe.
 
The Urgent Need for Early Recognition and Treatment
The study authors stress the need for pediatricians, child psychiatrists, and neurologists to be aware of this phenomenon. Early recognition and timely treatment can drastically improve outcomes. In this case series, patients who received prompt immune-based therapies often experienced full or near-full recovery. Those whose treatments were delayed often endured months of suffering and disability.
 
They also call for large-scale studies to establish formal guidelines for diagnosing and treating post-COVID neuropsychiatric syndromes in children. Currently, no evidence-based protocols exist for managing such cases, though existing PANS guidelines have proven useful in many scenarios.
 
Conclusion
This groundbreaking case series adds to the growing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is not merely a respiratory virus but one that can deeply affect the brain and mental health of children and adolescents. The sudden onset of severe psychiatric symptoms in previously healthy youth following COVID infections points to a likely post-infectious immune-mediated mechanism. The research team highlights how immune-modulating therapies like IVIg and steroids, when used in conjunction with standard psychiatric care, can significantly improve outcomes. However, early diagnosis and intervention are key. More studies are urgently needed to understand how best to identify, treat, and prevent these devastating post-COVID complications in the young.
 
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Developmental Neuroscience.
https://karger.com/dne/article/doi/10.1159/000545349/924228/Acute-onset-neuropsychiatric-conditions-in
 
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