ASPIRE Blog

Antibiotics are the standard of care for Lyme disease treatment. However, it is reported that 10 to 20% of people continue to suffer from Lyme disease after being diagnosed and given a standard antibiotic treatment right away at the start of their illness. I think this number is probably pretty low, and the rates are actually higher. Antibiotics are most effective on the dividing spirochete form of Borrelia burgdorferi when there is an active infection. This bacteria is very smart. They’re much smarter than us, and they will evolve in ways that allow them to be protected. When the spirochete is in its active form, it can divide and reproduce; this is when antibiotics are the most effective in killing them off.

A Talk with Nathan Who is Recovering from PANS/PANDAS, Lyme & CIRS Gabriella: I had a chat with Dr. Nancy O’Hara, Nathan, and his mom a few years ago and was blown away by this dynamic group who worked as a team to focus on recovery with compassion, tenacity, and a lot of smarts. At […]

Lyme disease, PANS, and the Columbia University Lyme & Tick-borne Research Center. Shannon L. Delaney, MD, Director, Child and Adolescent Evaluation, Lyme & Tick-borne Research Center, is a neuropsychiatrist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center who is co-investigator with Brian Fallon, MD on studies of adults and children with Lyme disease. Her clinical research has […]

ASPIRE thanks the NECH team for continuing to host talks and having ASPIRE write notes to share with the community. Patients of Dr. O’Hara and Dr. Wells can ask additional questions in the patient portal. Please check back for the upcoming schedule as well as Q&As and transcripts of previous meetings. NECH Educational Sessions. Patients […]

This was a retrospective study from Wuhan China to examine the dysregulation of the immune response in severe COVID 19 patients using flow cytometry. Of the 452 consecutive patients, 63% were diagnosed with severe COVID 19 and the median age was 58 years. Fifty-one percent of the severe cases had a clinical history of chronic disease and underlying health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and hypertension.

My message to parents is to listen to your child and trust yourself. We all have strong parental instincts for a reason. I know there will be days when all you want to do is hide under the covers and shut the world out. But, perhaps there will be days when your child is healthy enough that you start to forget how bad it was.

ASPIRE is happy to announce that New England Center for Health, lead by Dr. Nancy O’Hara (ASPIRE Professional Advisory Board Member), Dr. Lindsey Wells, and Vicki Kobliner will host zoom calls regarding various topics surrounding COVID-19. 

In response to the COVID-19, a global pandemic, that has affected all of our lives, ASPIRE is putting together a series of Q&As from a variety of professionals.  We will be updating this resource section as interviews are completed, so check back often and follow us on social media for updates.

School Nurses play an integral role in the health of students. School nurses support students and student health every day of the year. Children with PANS/PANDAS have complex physical and mental health conditions that benefit from the support of a school nurse.

So today, we ask YOU to ask your kids this one question: Without Teachers, what would you have never learned. You can ask about teachers in general or one particular teacher. Then post their answers in the comments below!

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is May 7th National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day raises awareness about the importance of caring for every child’s mental health and reinforces that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development. Does your child have OCD or an Eating Disorder along with other cognitive, behavioral, neurological, […]

Nurses’ Role in PANS/PANDAS What role do nurses play in helping families with PANS/PANDAS? Nurses are an integral part of the team. Nurses are often the first point of contact during an office visit. It is crucial for nurses not only to recognize PANS/PANDAS symptoms but also to understand how assessments are done and the […]