PANS and PANDAS explained with Dr. Nancy O'Hara

Описание: Dr. Nancy O’Hara, pediatrician and leading expert in PANS and PANDAS, joins me to unpack why some children experience sudden, dramatic changes in behavior, anxiety, OCD, tics, sleep, or emotional regulation following illness. For many families, these symptoms appear almost overnight and are often misdiagnosed as “just anxiety,” behavioral issues, or psychiatric disorders, leaving parents confused, dismissed, and unsure how to help their child.

Together we explore:

What PANS and PANDAS are, and how infections like strep, viruses, or tick-borne illness can trigger sudden neuropsychiatric symptoms in children.
What to assess to help you determine if your child has a generalized anxiety disorder or if it may be PANS/PANDAS that is the root cause of their symptoms.
Why PANS/PANDAS is often missed or misunderstood in both medical and mental health settings.
The three-pronged approach to treatment: Addressing the trigger, the immune system, and the child’s emotional and behavioral symptoms.
How therapy, both for parents and children, can support recovery, even when symptoms have a medical origin.
Understanding that there is real hope for healing and that it's never too late to identify and address PANS or PANDAS.

This episode is designed to help parents and clinicians feel more informed, less alone, and more confident in recognizing when a child’s behavior may be signaling something deeper. PANS and PANDAS are real, treatable conditions that deserve compassionate, comprehensive care.