PANS PANDAS is a medical condition in which symptoms affect a student’s ability to attend school and learn.
Symptomology and symptom severity vary from student to student and even from flare to flare in the same student. The goal of treatment is to achieve full recovery in order to prevent the student’s condition from becoming a chronic, debilitating illness. Treatment includes medical protocols as well as therapeutic practices. School accommodations are an essential component of a thorough and appropriate treatment protocol. Please read the overview of PANS in the school setting below and then follow up with ASPIRE’s Resources for Schools & Educators. Please register for a virtual in-services on PANS PANDAS.
The accommodations vary depending on the student’s symptoms and severity as well as from flare to flare. Each symptom can cause its own set of difficulties at school and when combined with several symptoms, even more significant challenges must be addressed. There is neither a one size fits all presentation of symptoms nor a one size fits all set of accommodations.
Due to the changing nature of symptoms and the relapsing and remitting course of PANS, ensure plans are flexible. Plans should be written with the student’s worst days in mind while hoping for the best days. A student may initially present with one or more primary symptoms, which may resolve with treatment only to be replaced with a new set of symptoms or different manifestations of the initial symptoms. Academic performance and attendance can vary widely during exacerbations.
One month, a student may be in a debilitating flare requiring several supports but later in the school year require significantly less only to relapse again. Not all PANS students return to baseline between flares, requiring year-round accommodations even while not in an active flare. Student performance and needs can vary day-to-day and week-to-week.
Other Health Impairment (OHI) is the condition that most PANS students qualify for an IEP. Students may be eligible for an IEP under different categories as well depending on that student’s symptoms such as specific learning disability (SLD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD). However, caution must be taken to not mislabel a student; SLD or EBD may not encompass all of the student’s issues by focusing too much on a small portion of symptoms.
“Writing the plans with the most difficult days in mind will assure that the child can receive adequate accommodations without revisiting the 504 or IEP process often.”
Clinical Management of Pediatric Acute-Onset-Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: Part I–Psychiatric and Behavioral Interventions, Margo Thienemann, MD et al
This two-page handout on PANS PANDAS in the school setting is a perfect introduction to school staff and families. We also have a twenty-page toolkit PANS PANDAS School Impact &...
PANS PANDAS in the School Setting Toolkit Information at your fingertips Click the button below to download the twenty-page toolkit that provides information on School Impacts and Supports for PANS...
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...
About Assessments Child Find: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA ’04) requires states to develop a system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all children...
PANS symptoms impact multiple areas of learning, specifically academic, cognitive, behavioral, and physical. PANS is essentially a spectrum disorder; some PANS students will be affected more severely...
No matter the length of time a student misses school, communication between families, school professionals and medical professionals is essential to making sure the student’s needs are met....
The goal of accommodations is to help the student access the curriculum, be involved, and progress in their education regardless of having PANS/PANDAS. Accommodation and supports can help PANS...
PANS students require a variety of accommodations to support the multiple symptoms across the learning domains. The level of support is contingent upon the severity of...
PANS recovery is not a straight trajectory. PANS is relapsing and remitting, and there can be setbacks during periods of treatment and healing. Communication helps the team (parents, school staff,...
PANS & Eating Restrictions This section on Restrictive Eatings at School is part of a larger section on Restrictive Eating seen in PANS PANDAS. Make sure to read the entire...
You are your child’s best advocate, and we are here to help! The 504 and IEP planning process may seem overwhelming, but these educational sections will help you navigate the...
Read Getting Started with 504 & IEP Plans first. Many PANS PANDAS kids will qualify for a 504 plan. A 504 plan will provide accommodations for the educational program within...