What is PANS/PANDAS? | Emotional Dysregulation in Children | E83

What Is PANS/PANDAS? Understanding Sudden Behavioral Changes in Kids

When your child suddenly shifts overnight, more anxious, rigid, emotional, or explosive it can feel terrifying.

You know something is wrong, but no one seems to have answers.

You’re not alone, and your child isn’t misbehaving on purpose.

In this episode, Dr. Roseann explains What Is PANS/PANDAS?, why these sudden behavioral and emotional changes happen, and how parents can begin supporting a dysregulated, inflamed brain.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• the difference between PANS and PANDAS

• common symptoms parents should watch for

• how inflammation impacts Emotional Dysregulation in Children

• practical ways to support Nervous System Regulation in Children

What’s really happening in the brain

PANS and PANDAS are inflammatory conditions that affect the brain and nervous system.

Kids can suddenly develop:

• severe anxiety or panic

• OCD symptoms and intrusive thoughts

• rage or aggression

• restrictive eating

• ODD

• hyperactivity or restlessness

• cognitive fog or loss of academic skills

These abrupt shifts often happen after:

• infections

• strep exposure

• Lyme disease

• viruses

• mold or toxin exposure

Real-life scenario:

A gifted child suddenly loses the ability to read after Lyme disease triggers neuroinflammation.

It’s not bad behavior—it’s a dysregulated, inflamed brain asking for help.

The difference between PANS and PANDAS

Many parents feel confused about the distinction.

👉 PANDAS

• triggered specifically by strep infection

• involves OCD symptoms or tics

• usually childhood onset

👉 PANS

• broader diagnosis (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome)

• triggered by infections, toxins, or inflammation

• can affect children, teens, and adults

• often more medically complex

Key point:

If symptoms are triggered by more than just strep, it’s considered PANS—not PANDAS.

The reframe parents need

Behavior is communication.

When inflammation overwhelms the nervous system, kids lose access to emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and coping skills.

That’s why PANS/PANDAS can mimic:

• ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation

• Anxiety in Children

• OCD in Children

• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

• Executive Functioning in Children challenges

But unlike ADHD, PANS/PANDAS symptoms often appear suddenly and dramatically.

What you can do next

The first step is always:

👉 calm the brain first.

Helpful supports include:

• consistent calming routines

• co-regulation techniques

• reducing inflammatory triggers

• neurofeedback for anxiety and OCD

• PEMF for sensory and cognitive regulation

• nervous system calming supports

When the nervous system is overwhelmed, kids cannot regulate, learn, or recover effectively.

If you’ve been searching for How to Calm a Dysregulated Child, regulation and nervous system support are foundational.

When to seek additional support

Consider a PANS/PANDAS evaluation if your child:

• changed suddenly after illness

• lost previously mastered skills

• developed abrupt OCD, anxiety, or rage

• began refusing school unexpectedly

• experiences severe emotional flooding or panic

Early identification and regulation support matter.

Listen + Take the Next Step

Yelling less and staying calm isn’t about being perfect—it’s about having the right tools.

Get your FREE Regulation Rescue Kit here:

👉 www.drroseann.com/newsletter

And if this episode helped you better understand PANS/PANDAS, share it with another parent who needs support.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge helps parents understand Emotional Dysregulation in Children and teaches practical Nervous System Regulation in Children and Co-Regulation Techniques through her Regulation First Parenting™ approach.

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