When Everything Changes Overnight: A Parent’s Journey Through PANS/PANDAS

Read more about one family’s story and what PANS/PANDAS really looks like, written by ANAD Community Member and ASPIRE’s Midwest Lead and Restricted Eating Lead, Breanne Failor

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One day, your child is thriving—eating well, doing great in school, enjoying life. Next, they may suddenly refuse food, struggle with OCD-like behaviors, experience severe anxiety, or seem unrecognizable overnight.

This is the reality of PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Strep). Both conditions occur when the immune system misfires after an infection, causing brain inflammation that drastically changes a child’s thoughts, behaviors, and functioning.

For many families, restrictive eating is one of the first symptoms—and it’s often mistaken for an eating disorder before the real cause is identified.

If you’ve felt alone in this journey, you’re not. Healing is possible, and hope is real.

Read ANAD Blog Post – https://anad.org/when-everything-changes-overnight-a-parents-journey-through-pans-pandas/

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#PANS #PANDAS #EatingDisorders #MentalHealthAwareness #YouAreNotAlone