10/09/2026
💚 October 9th | PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day 💚
What if your child’s behavior changed seemingly overnight?
Imagine your once happy, thriving child suddenly experiencing intense anxiety, emotional outbursts, obsessive behaviors, sensory sensitivities, or difficulties completing everyday tasks.
For some families, these sudden changes may be signs of PANS or PANDAS, two conditions that can significantly impact a child’s neurological, emotional, and behavioral functioning.
🧠 What are PANS and PANDAS?
💚 PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) involves the sudden onset of OCD symptoms or severely restricted food intake, along with other acute neuropsychiatric symptoms.
💚 PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) describes a proposed subgroup of children whose sudden onset of OCD symptoms or tics is associated with a streptococcal infection.
Signs families may notice include:
💚 Sudden onset of OCD behaviors or tics
💚 Significant anxiety or separation difficulties
💚 Emotional dysregulation and intense outbursts
💚 New or heightened sensory sensitivities
💚 Changes in handwriting or fine motor coordination
💚 Sleep disturbances or developmental regression
💚 Sudden food restrictions or feeding difficulties
✨ From an occupational therapy perspective, we recognize that behavior is often a form of communication.
A child who suddenly struggles with everyday routines, emotional regulation, sensory processing, or previously mastered skills may be experiencing something far beyond what we can see.
At Prosper Therapy Services, we believe in looking beyond behaviors, listening to families, and supporting the whole child.
Occupational therapy can play an important role in helping children participate in meaningful daily activities while families work alongside their medical providers to better understand and address the underlying concerns.
💚 Awareness leads to recognition. Recognition leads to answers. And answers can lead to meaningful support.
Today, we stand with the children and families navigating PANS and PANDAS. You deserve to be heard, understood, and supported.
💚 Because sometimes, what looks like a behavioral challenge is a child struggling with something they cannot explain.
