05/08/2026
A very special visit to The PANS Clinic in London and an opportunity to meet with Dr Tim Ubhi, who has been at the forefront of caring for children affected by PANDAS.
PANDAS — Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections — is a debilitating condition in which an immune response can affect the brain, leading to sudden and often dramatic changes in a child’s neurological and psychiatric presentation.
Sadly, Australia remains behind in recognising and managing this complex condition. For families, the consequences can be devastating, particularly when symptoms are misunderstood or attributed solely to a primary psychiatric disorder.
Meeting with Dr Tim was an honour and an incredibly valuable opportunity to learn more about the clinical presentation, proposed mechanisms and challenges faced by these children and their families.
One area that particularly interests us at Barefoot Health Co is neuroinflammation. Where an autoimmune process is associated with inflammation affecting the nervous system, we are exploring whether cold laser photobiomodulation may have a future role as an adjunctive therapy to support children within this cohort.
Importantly, this is an area that requires proper clinical investigation. Photobiomodulation is not a treatment for PANDAS, and we are not suggesting that it replaces appropriate medical assessment or evidence-based treatment. Rather, we are interested in understanding whether there may be a safe, clinically appropriate role for this technology as part of a broader multidisciplinary approach.
There is still so much to learn.
Our goal at Barefoot Health Co is to remain curious, evidence-informed and willing to look beyond conventional boundaries when caring for complex patients — while always putting safety and appropriate medical care first.
Thank you to Dr Tim and The PANDAS Clinic for sharing your knowledge and for the work you continue to do for children and families navigating this incredibly challenging condition.
We hope this visit is the beginning of further conversations, collaboration and research here in Australia.
Niki
Clinic Director
Barefoot Health Co