ASPIRE Blog

  Kapphahn C, Peet B, Gao J, Chan A, Farhadian B, Ma M, Silverman M, Tran P, Schlenk N, Thienemann M, Frankovich J. Sudden Onset Disordered Eating Behaviors and Appetite […]

Wu, X., Hao, J., Jiang, K. et al. Neuroinflammation and pathways that contribute to tourette syndrome. Ital J Pediatr 51, 63 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-025-01874-3 A 2025 narrative review published in Italian […]

Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that develops after a Streptococcus pyogenes (group A strep) infection. It is marked by the sudden start or worsening of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and/or tics in prepubertal children, with symptoms that come and go and often appear suddenly across different areas. The chapter explains that much of the ongoing debate stems from challenges in research methods, including the prevalence of strep, silent infections, limited testing, and study design issues. At the same time, it brings together evidence from clinical observations, brain studies, immune markers, animal and lab research, treatment trials, and long-term studies that support a link between strep and a specific group of acute-onset cases. The main point is that accurately recognizing PANDAS depends on timing, symptom pattern, and careful infection screening, and that the way PANDAS develops is similar to other immune-related problems that follow strep infections.

Occupational Performance Fluctuates With PANS Disease State Newby MJ, Lane SJ, Haracz K, et al. Occupational performance patterns in children with paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 2024;72:e12995. […]

ASPIRE is working to support national efforts to pass legislation requiring insurance coverage for the treatment of PANS and PANDAS. By sharing your story and keeping the conversation clear, positive, and focused, you can help drive change.

If you’re reading this, you probably care about our family and our child. We understand that what we’re going through may seem confusing, unfamiliar, or even hard to believe. Sudden and extreme changes in behavior don’t match how most people think about illness, especially when the symptoms seem psychiatric.

Arthritis in Children with Psychiatric Deterioration: What This Case Series Shows Ma M, Sandberg J, Farhadian B, Silverman M, Xie Y, Thienemann M, Frankovich J. Arthritis in Children with Psychiatric […]

For Legislative State Leads PANS Legislation: What It Is and How ASPIRE Supports States Across the United States, families affected by PANS and PANDAS face a common problem: access to […]

A Chat About Legislative Advocacy Gabriella: Before we start, I want to make it clear who this is for. This isn’t meant for professional advocates or trained lobbyists. It’s for […]

In this study, neurological soft signs (NSS) are defined as subtle neurological examination findings that may reflect dysfunction in motor coordination and movement regulation, particularly related to basal ganglia pathways — the brain circuits critical for motor control, behavior regulation, and habit learning.

Why State-Mandated Coverage for PANS/PANDAS Is Now Urgent and Justified Aetna has updated its medical policy to recognize PANS/PANDAS and to cover IVIG when medically necessary for patients who meet […]

Legislative Takeaway The OHIC report was required to answer a narrow statutory question about short-term insurer savings, not whether PANS/PANDAS coverage is medically necessary or beneficial to families. The report […]