Advocating for Californians Impacted by PANS/PANDAS
What Are PANS/PANDAS?
PANS/PANDAS are inflammatory brain disorders causing abrupt and extreme behavioral changes, including severe and debilitating OCD and/or eating restriction in children and young adults. Very often, the illness starts after an ordinary infection, such as strep throat. Antibodies made to fight the infection mistakenly attack brain tissues, causing neurological and behavioral symptoms. Affected children also have an extreme and abrupt onset of anxiety, rage, depression, insomnia, behavioral regression, deterioration in school performance, tics, and other debilitating symptoms. Prompt medical treatment is essential and can lead to remarkable recoveries. However, children are often misdiagnosed as suffering from psychological disorders or faulty parenting, prolonging the suffering of the entire family, often for years, and left untreated, PANS/PANDAS can become a chronic and/or life threatening condition. Impacted families also face difficultly finding a knowledgeable, skilled, and willing medical professional. Click here to learn more about PANS/PANDAS. ​
PANS/PANDAS are inflammatory brain disorders causing abrupt and extreme behavioral changes, including severe and debilitating OCD and/or eating restriction in children and young adults. Very often, the illness starts after an ordinary infection, such as strep throat. Antibodies made to fight the infection mistakenly attack brain tissues, causing neurological and behavioral symptoms. Affected children also have an extreme and abrupt onset of anxiety, rage, depression, insomnia, behavioral regression, deterioration in school performance, tics, and other debilitating symptoms. Prompt medical treatment is essential and can lead to remarkable recoveries. However, children are often misdiagnosed as suffering from psychological disorders or faulty parenting, prolonging the suffering of the entire family, often for years, and left untreated, PANS/PANDAS can become a chronic and/or life threatening condition. Impacted families also face difficultly finding a knowledgeable, skilled, and willing medical professional. Click here to learn more about PANS/PANDAS. ​
Why We Need PANS/PANDAS Legislation...
What We Aim To Do...
On September 28, 2024, California became the 12th state to enact health equity legislation for PANS/PANDAS, joining fourteen other states: Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. These laws require health insurance companies to cover the treatment costs for PANS/PANDAS. However, we still face significant challenges before every state ensures insurance coverage for these conditions. Our renewed mission is to establish a California Public Health Advisory Committee and support the 35 states that currently lack insurance coverage laws for PANS/PANDAS. Click here to discover which states have already implemented PANS/PANDAS health insurance laws!
How You Can
Help...
Let your California State Representative or State Senator know about the urgent need to support this bill in 2023!
(See templates here to phone or write your state representatives!)
Help us understand how PANS has impacted YOUR family so we can better represent YOU! (Complete our 5 minute survey and/or send us your family’s story here so we may share it with legislators)
Fill out our contact form so we may let you know when it is time to go to Sacramento and speak up!
Teachers and school nurses- WE NEED YOU to tell us how PANS has impacted you and/or your students. You can send us your Impact Statement here.
Click here to see the many ways you can help!
HOW HAS PANS/PANDAS AFFECTED YOUR LIFE?
We asked members of the PANS community, including parents, children, survivors, and grandparents, "What Do They Wish People Knew About PANS/PANDAS?"
In return, we received #thehardandhonesttruthaboutPANSandPANDAS
We encourage you to WATCH, SHARE, and take the time to LEARN more about PANS/PANDAS.
​
