When Your Child Changes Overnight: Recognizing PANS/PANDAS Early
One day, your child is happy, thriving, and full of personality. The next, they seem like a completely different person—struggling with tics, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, or even aggression. Parents describe it as an overnight change, a terrifying shift that leaves them searching for answers.
This is exactly what happened to Lucia Silver and her son. Their journey, shared on our *Unraveling the Brain with Dr. Josh Madsen* podcast, sheds light on a condition that is often overlooked by medical professionals: PANS/PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndrome and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus).
What is PANS/PANDAS?
PANS and PANDAS are neuroimmune conditions where the body mistakenly attacks the brain, leading to sudden behavioral and neurological changes.
PANDAS is specifically linked to a strep infection, where the immune system attacks the basal ganglia (a part of the brain responsible for movement and behavior).
PANS is broader and can be triggered by infections like mycoplasma pneumonia, Lyme disease, mold exposure, or other environmental stressors.
These conditions are often misdiagnosed or dismissed as behavioral issues, anxiety, or ADHD. Parents, like Lucia, are frequently told their child’s symptoms will “just go away” or are “part of growing up.” But when these symptoms appear out of nowhere, parents know something is deeply wrong.
Recognizing the Signs of PANS/PANDAS
Lucia’s son had already made huge strides in overcoming his neurological challenges through primitive reflex integration, balance training, and eye-tracking therapy. But months later, he suddenly regressed—developing tics, anxiety, and even seizures.
The symptoms of PANS/PANDAS can vary, but common signs include:
✅ Sudden onset of OCD or anxiety
✅ Tics or repetitive movements
✅ Extreme emotional outbursts or aggression
✅ Loss of handwriting skills or regression in learning
✅ Severe separation anxiety
✅ Sleep disturbances or night terrors
✅ Sensory sensitivities or motor coordination problems
For Lucia’s son, his symptoms were severe enough that his school called Lucia, saying they didn’t know if they could keep him in class. His teachers saw the drastic change, but conventional medical professionals had no answers.
Why Does This Happen?
PANS/PANDAS doesn’t usually come from just one thing. Instead, it’s often a perfect storm of triggers:
An infection (strep, mycoplasma, viruses, or mold exposure)
A weakened immune system leading to chronic inflammation
A history of developmental delays or missed milestones
Environmental toxins like glyphosate, processed foods, or heavy metals
Stress (which itself can trigger an inflammatory response in the brain)
When these factors build up, the immune system turns against itself, creating inflammation in the brain. This leads to the sudden onset of symptoms that seem completely unrelated—tics, aggression, anxiety, learning difficulties, and more.
Finding the Right Help
Lucia, like many parents, was left to figure this out on her own. She searched tirelessly, spoke with multiple providers, and finally discovered the connection between her son’s symptoms and an immune-triggered brain disorder.
Many conventional doctors don’t recognize PANS/PANDAS, leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment. Instead of being told “he’ll grow out of it,” Lucia found specialists who looked deeper—testing for infections, gut health issues, and environmental toxins.
Through a combination of targeted therapy, dietary changes, neurodevelopmental work, and functional medicine approaches, her son began to recover.
What Can Parents Do?
If your child has experienced sudden, dramatic behavioral changes, don’t dismiss it as a phase. Consider the following steps:
📌 Find a practitioner who understands PANS/PANDAS. Many conventional doctors overlook this condition, so seeking a functional neurologist or integrative specialist is crucial.
📌 Get testing for infections and toxins. Blood tests can help identify immune markers, strep exposure, mold toxicity, and other triggers.
📌 Address inflammation through diet and supplements. Removing inflammatory foods (gluten, dairy, processed sugars) and adding targeted supplements can support healing.
📌 Work on brain development. Therapies that support balance, reflex integration, and eye tracking can help restore neurological function.
📌 Join a supportive community. As Lucia emphasized, having a group of parents who understand what you’re going through is invaluable.
Hope for Healing
The most important thing Lucia and Dr. Josh want parents to know? There is hope. The body and brain are designed to heal when given the right support.
If your child is struggling, you are not alone. There are answers, and with the right interventions, recovery is possible.
💡 Want to dive deeper? Join The Brain Health Movement for more resources, parent support, and expert guidance.