A community conversation: Awareness for All: Equity in PANS/PANDAS Care

This community conversation will be a joint collaboration between PPAL (Parent/Professional Advocacy League Inc.) and the Look. Foundation and will center on understanding and recognizing PANS/PANDAS to ensure that children of diverse communities have access to this life changing/life saving information.

PANS/PANDAS are conditions where children can experience sudden and dramatic changes in behavior, mood, and learning following infections or viruses. The immune response from an infectious trigger may trigger symptoms such as OCD, eating disorders, severe anxiety, mood swings, rage, oppositional behavior, sensory issues, tics, and declines in academic skills.

We will explore how these conditions are recognized, diagnosed, and treated, and why they are often overlooked or misunderstood. We will also discuss the equity challenges families face, including gaps in awareness, access to knowledgeable providers, and support within schools. Together, we will examine how educators and communities can better recognize these conditions and ensure every child has access to the understanding, care, and support they need to thrive.