Dear Reader,

Welcome to the newest edition of the PANDAS Network newsletter! We have some brief newsworthy articles we think will resonate with you. But first, we want to remind you that the PANDAS Network is hosting an exciting new webinar you wont want to miss.

Let’s dive in!

REMINDER - Upcoming Webinar: Understanding PANDAS and Sydenham Chorea: How Strep Triggers Different Symptoms.

Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM EST
Featuring: Chandra Menendez, PhD

This is a friendly reminder that our upcoming webinar featuring Dr. Chandra Menendez, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, will reveal why some children with PANDAS/PANS experience severe, uncontrollable whiplash-like symptoms known as Sydenham chorea, while others develop tics or obsessive-compulsive behaviors. He latest findings offer fresh insight into these complex conditions.

This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn about what might be driving PANDAS/PANS symptoms and also a chance to ask Dr. Menendez your most pressing questions during a Q&A session. So save this newsletter and Zoom link for the May 6th webinar and come early as we are capping attendance to the first 100 people!

Illuminating the Parent Journey: Insights from Dr. Odeyla Kraybill

We are pleased to share two compelling PANDAS/PANS articles written by Odeyla Kraybill, PhD, Expressive Trauma Therapist, that were recently published in Psychology Today (March and April 2025).

• ​When I Don’t Recognize Myself and My Body
  The Biology of Advocacy: Parenting a Child with Chronic Illness​
  
• ​Gaslit All Around: The Hidden Trauma of PANDAS Parents
  Personal Perspective: Gaslighting vs. Healthy Self-Doubt in Parents of Kids with PANDAS​

These pieces thoughtfully explore the emotional and practical challenges parents encounter during the diagnosis and treatment of children with PANDAS and PANS. Written in clear, accessible language, they offer valuable insights into the traumatic stress that PANDAS families experience. These articles are ideal for sharing with friends and family to foster greater understanding of these shared experiences.

As always we thank you for your continued support of the PANDAS Network.

Together we can make a difference!

Sincerely,

Diana Pohlman

Executive Director, PANDAS Network

​