Dr. Rachel Rozelle, ND

10/09/2026

💚 October 9 is PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day 💚

Some children experience sudden, dramatic changes in their behavior, mood, and physical health that can leave families searching for answers. PANS and PANDAS are conditions that deserve greater awareness, understanding, and compassion.

🌿 What are PANS and PANDAS?

🧠 PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is characterized by the sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms or severe food restriction, along with other neuropsychiatric symptoms.

🦠 PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) is a condition in which symptoms are associated with a group A streptococcal infection.
Symptoms may include:
✨ Sudden-onset OCD or restrictive eating
✨ Anxiety, fears, or separation anxiety
✨ Emotional dysregulation, irritability, or mood changes
✨ Tics or unusual movements
✨ Sleep disturbances
✨ Regression in behavior or developmental skills
✨ Changes in school performance or concentration

💚 Why awareness matters
These changes can be frightening for children and their families. Recognizing sudden symptom onset and seeking appropriate medical evaluation can help families better understand what is happening and explore treatment options.
Every child’s experience is unique, and early recognition can be an important step toward getting the right support.
Today, let’s raise awareness, listen to families, support affected children, and encourage compassionate, collaborative care.
More awareness. Earlier recognition. Better support.

💚 Share this post to help spread awareness!

08/25/2026

Could Glutamate Be Contributing to Challenging Symptoms?

When progress stalls or symptoms become more complex, it's important to look beyond behavior. An imbalance between glutamate and GABA may contribute to anxiety, sleep challenges, tics, stimming, seizures, and other neurological symptoms in some individuals with autism.

🧠 Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that must stay balanced with the calming neurotransmitter GABA.

⚖️ Excess glutamate may contribute to anxiety, inattention, OCD, stimming, tics, migraines, seizures, and sleep challenges.

🩺 Inflammation, PANS/PANDAS, and other underlying medical conditions may disrupt glutamate regulation.

🥦 Dietary changes, targeted medical interventions, and addressing root causes may help support a healthier glutamate balance. Always work with a knowledgeable healthcare provider before making treatment changes.

🔍 Looking for underlying medical contributors is an important part of caring for medically complex individuals with autism.

🔗 Read more here: https://tacanow.org/family-resources/glutamate/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2026-08-MLS-Glutamate

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Educational information only. TACA does not provide medical, legal, educational, or professional advice. Please consult qualified professionals regarding your family’s specific circumstances and decisions.

08/25/2026

New research is helping us understand how PANS symptoms may change with age.

Researchers studied 162 children and young people referred for OCD and/or tics, including 56 who met PANS criteria. Among the PANS group, the median age of the first acute neuropsychiatric episode was just 5 years old.

The study found some interesting age-related patterns. Younger children were more likely to experience new speech difficulties during PANS flares, while depression was associated with older children. Researchers also found that severe symptom fluctuations and a relapsing-remitting course were more common in PANS than in the comparison group.

Another striking finding: 49% of the PANS group had a mother with an autoimmune disease, compared with 17% of children with other neurodevelopmental disorders. Researchers say the findings support continued investigation of interactions between the immune system, environmental exposures, and neurodevelopment.

This doesn’t mean every child with PANS will follow the same pattern—but understanding how symptoms can present differently across childhood could help families and clinicians recognize changes sooner.

Source: European Journal of Paediatric Neurology, July 2026 — “Paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS): Age-related symptomatology and comparison with non-PANS neurodevelopmental disorders.”

https://www.ejpn-journal.com/article/S1090-3798%2826%2900075-9/fulltext?utm_source=chatgpt.com

07/23/2026

This is why homeopathy is so effective, it recognizes that disease affects everyone differently and treats the individuality of every person.

No two people experience illness in exactly the same way.

Even when the diagnosis is the same, each person's experience is unique.

Different symptoms.
Different histories.
Different stressors.
Different life experiences.

That's why individualized care begins by looking beyond a diagnosis and listening to the person.

Over the coming days, we'll continue exploring a different way of thinking about health, healing, and individualized care.

Tomorrow, we'll ask another question:
Can one diagnosis tell the whole story?

06/29/2026

New research adds to our understanding of PANS/PANDAS and restrictive eating behaviors.

This newly published study highlights an important overlap between PANS/PANDAS, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)—particularly when eating restrictions are driven by fear, anxiety, or sensory changes rather than body image concerns.

For many families, sudden food refusal can be one of the earliest and most concerning symptoms of PANS. It’s encouraging to see research continuing to explore these connections and provide evidence that can improve awareness and diagnosis.

Read more from the PANDAS Physicians Network: https://www.pandasppn.org/research-library/prevalence-of-pans-and-associated-obsessive-compulsive-symptoms-in-youth-with-arfid/

Thank you to PANDAS Physicians Network (PPN) for sharing this important research.

https://www.pandasppn.org/research-library/prevalence-of-pans-and-associated-obsessive-compulsive-symptoms-in-youth-with-arfid/

05/29/2026

Great info from Mass.gov. Did you know that you can send ticks out for testing to see if they are carrying Lyme or other co-infections? This helps determine if and what kind of treatment is needed after a tick bite.

Tick Testing Options:
•Tickcheck.com
•Tickreport.com
•Ticktests.com
•Ticknology.org
•Cvmdl.uconn.edu

05/12/2026

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month 💚

Lyme disease is a complex illness that can affect the entire body — often causing fatigue, joint pain, headaches, brain fog, and nervous system symptoms. Early recognition and treatment can make a meaningful difference.

Integrative approaches such as conventional and naturopathic medicine, antibiotics, herbal medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, and lifestyle support may help:
• Reduce inflammation
• Support immune function
• Improve energy levels
• Ease pain and tension
• Support overall wellness and recovery

Awareness matters. Prevention matters. Listening to your body matters.

12/17/2025

Brain inflammation is common in many psychiatric disorders, and why conventional psychiatric medications don’t work for everyone. Finding and treating the root cause of imbalance in the body is the key to helping with symptom resolution and restored balance in the body and brain.

A new study identifies an immune-inflammatory brain signature shared across major psychiatric disorders. Patients with this neuroimaging marker showed elevated blood inflammation and poorer response to standard treatment.

11/29/2025

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US for both men and women. Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer in the US, but it’s not the only cause. In fact, 15-20% of lung cancer cases occur in nonsmokers, with a greater percentage of women affected over men.

Unfortunately lung cancer doesn’t always show symptoms early on, but knowing the signs and your individual risk factors can help with earlier detection.

Common Symptoms of Lung Cancer:
•new, persistent, or worsening cough
•coughing up blood
•chest pain that is worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
•hoarseness
•shortness of breath
•recurrent episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia
•unexplained weight loss
•fatigue or weakness

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy this day with friends and family and remember to have gratitude and give thanks. This day can also be hard for some, and kindness and support can go a long way.