Pediatric POTS, Improving Research & Clinical Care

Dr. Jeffrey Boris from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia discussed pediatric POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) in a webinar hosted by Dysautonomia International. The webinar highlighted insights from their comprehensive POTS program, including the large clinical pediatric POTS database assembled since 2014. Dr. Boris emphasized asymmetrical symptom distribution, with dizziness, fatigue, and headaches being common, and noted high joint hypermobility among patients. Triggers are often infections, concussions, or surgeries. The presentation compared standing tests and tilt table tests for diagnosis, revealing differences in heart rate response metrics across methods. The session also covered treatment insights, including exercise programs, pharmaceuticals like stimulants for brain fog, and the impact of underlying conditions like joint hypermobility and mast cell activation syndrome. It ended with a discussion about genetics and potential recovery in pediatric cases, indicating the need for more research and precise treatment protocols.