PANDAS - A Conversation Every Parent Should Know About

“My Child Changed Overnight…” - A Conversation Every Parent Should Know About

A few days ago, a mum messaged me late at night.

You could feel the worry through the screen.

“Something is wrong. My child changed overnight. He woke up terrified, clingy, anxious… and he’s doing things he’s never done before. He won’t eat his usual food. He keeps repeating small routines. He’s suddenly sensitive to every noise. I don’t recognise him.”

As she kept describing what happened -how fast it came on, how intense it felt - I could almost finish her sentences.

So I said to her:

“I think this might be PANDAS.”

She’d never heard the word before.

And when I explained what it meant, she said something I hear far too often:

“But why didn’t anyone tell us? We went to our GP twice and they said it’s just anxiety.”

And this is where I had to be honest:
In the UK, PANDAS is still overlooked by many practitioners.
Not because they don’t care but because they haven’t been trained to recognise it.

Parents see it.
They notice the drastic, sudden changes.
But they’re often told it’s “just a phase” or “normal stress.”

And that delay can leave families feeling confused and alone.

So What Is PANDAS?

PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections — but let’s keep it simple.

It basically means:
After a strep infection, the immune system can overreact and accidentally affect parts of the brain that control emotions, behaviour, and movement.

So a child who was fine yesterday can wake up:

• terrified or panicky

• Suddenly doing rituals or repetitive behaviours

• refusing foods they normally love

• developing tics

• having emotional storms

• struggling to sleep

• losing skills they already had

• having handwriting or coordination suddenly fall apart

It feels dramatic because it is dramatic.

PANDAS isn’t a slow change.
It hits fast — and it hits hard.

Why Does This Happen So Suddenly?

Strep bacteria have proteins that look very similar to certain brain cells.

So when the immune system sends out antibodies to attack the strep… those antibodies can sometimes end up attacking the brain too.

Especially areas like:

• the basal ganglia (behaviour and emotional flexibility)

• the cerebellum (coordination and emotional control)

• the limbic system (fear and mood)

That’s why the changes appear so quickly and feel so extreme.

Where Functional Neurology Helps

When I spoke to this mum, I told her:

“You still need medical care especially to address the infection. But functional neurology can help your child’s brain settle, recover, and reconnect again.”

Here’s how:

1. Helping the nervous system calm down

Kids with PANDAS often live in “constant alarm mode.”
Through vagus nerve activation, sensory calming work, breathwork, and gentle light/sound therapy, we help the brain feel safe again.

2. Rebalancing the two sides of the brain

One hemisphere can become overstimulated, the other underactive.
We use:

• balance work

• primitive reflex integration

• visual tracking

• coordinated movement

These exercises bring the system back into sync.

3. Strengthening the cerebellum

This part of the brain isn’t just for movement — it’s huge for emotional regulation, attention, and processing.
Movement-based cerebellar work helps kids regain their stability, focus, and calm.

4. Supporting the gut–brain–immune loop

We look at:

• vagal tone

• lymphatic drainage

• posture and breathwork

• sensory pathways

All of these help reduce inflammation and support recovery.

What I Said to the Mum That Night

I told her:

“This isn’t your fault. Your child isn’t broken. Their brain is overwhelmed — and overwhelmed brains can heal.”

And you could feel the relief in her reply.

She said:

“Thank you. This finally makes sense.”

Why I’m Sharing This

Because this mum’s story?
It’s not rare.

PANDAS is more common than many people realise — but under-recognised, especially in the UK.

If your child suddenly changes and you can’t explain why…
If the shift is too fast, too intense, or too unlike them…

You’re not imagining it.
And you’re not overreacting.

Your child’s brain is capable of healing.
And there is support that works.