ASPIRE Blog

It’s one of the more common illnesses: strep throat. According to the Centers for Disease Control, strep throat is now at a 20-year high.

It is a bacterial infection in your throat and tonsils, a common ailment in kids. Most children recover, but strep can lead to a serious brain disease in kids.

In-Person – Weathersfield, CT – Saturday, June 22 – 3:00 PM

Zoom – Tuesday, June 24 – 12:00 PM EST

In-Person – Danbury, CT – Thursday, June 12 – 10:00am-12:00pm Eastern

The key to treatment was aggressive intervention. But finding the right doctors was a battle. Most practitioners were unaware of PANS or didn’t believe in its severity. We were lucky to get a diagnosis within months—many families go years without answers.

Dardani, C., Robinson, J.W., Jones, H.J. et al. Immunological drivers and potential novel drug targets for major psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative conditions. Mol Psychiatry 30, 4487–4496 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-025-03032-x Study used […]

PANS PANDAS & Eating Disorders/Food Restrictions – Full Packet of Recent studies and Flyer. Please note that the Flyer is also available in two poster sizes also.

Nutrition is vital for kids with PANS/PANDAS, conditions tied to OCD and infections like strep that disrupt eating habits, causing nutrient deficiencies and gut issues. Registered Dietitians (RDs) can help by:

Masterson EE, Miles K, Schlenk N, Manko C, Ma M, Farhadian B, Chang K, Silverman M, Thienemann M, Frankovich J, Frankovich J. Defining Clinical Course of Patients Evaluated for Pediatric […]

PANS or PANDAS refers to what some doctors call Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. It’s an often misunderstood and misdiagnosed disease that can cause erratic and sometimes dangerous behavior that often mimics symptoms of schizophrenia.

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 Issues […]

Imagine a child suffering from seizures, only to discover years later that the cause might be tied to a cat scratch and an insect bite. A groundbreaking case study from North Carolina State University (NCSU) has revealed a connection between Bartonella and Babesia infections and complex neurological disorders, challenging how we approach diagnosis and treatment of such conditions.