156. PANS/PANDAS: The Autoimmune Cause of Sudden OCD in Children

🧠 Could Your Child’s Sudden OCD Be Something Else? Understanding PANS & PANDAS

 

In this powerful episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Angela Henry, therapist and PANS/PANDAS specialist, and Lindsay Forsyth, a mother and advocate who has navigated this journey with her own child. Together, they shed light on how sudden-onset OCD, tics, and anxiety in children may sometimes point to something deeper — an autoimmune or inflammatory disorder known as PANS or PANDAS.

 

Angela and Lindsay open up about:

• How PANS/PANDAS can mimic OCD and anxiety — and why it’s often misdiagnosed

• The emotional toll families face when doctors can’t find answers

• How infection-triggered inflammation can alter behavior overnight

• What every parent should know about early warning signs of PANS/PANDAS

 

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or clinician, this episode offers clarity, validation, and practical tools to navigate the confusing intersection of OCD, PANS, and PANDAS.

 

📲 About Angela Henry (guest):

• Certified EMDR Therapist

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctr_for_collaborative_healing/

• Webpage: https://angelahenrylcsw.com/

📲 About Lindsey Forsyth (guest):

• Mom of 2 kids with PANS/PANDAS.

• Pandas network: https://pandasnetwork.org/

• PANS PANDAS Advocacy, Community & Support Aspire

• Neuro Immune: https://neuroimmune.org/

 

✂️ TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00] Welcome — Meet Lindsay, Angela, and Kristina

[01:05] PANS & PANDAS Revealed — How Your Child’s Brain Can Turn Against Them Overnight

[01:50] The Infection Trigger — Strep, Viruses, and Environmental Factors That Can Hijack a Child’s Mind

[02:57] Recognizing Abrupt Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Kids

[03:24] PANS vs PANDAS — The Shocking Differences You Need to Know

[03:42] “Something’s Not Right” — How Parents Can Spot the Early Warning Signs

[05:05] Lindsey’s Story — From Meltdowns to Mystery Illness

[07:48] The Specialists Who Saved Our Child

[09:12] Lifelines for Parents

[10:02] Why Your Child Can Suddenly Regress Without Warning

[10:45] Tracking the Chaos — Growth Charts, OCD Scores, and Why Labs Don’t Always Show the Truth

[11:06] The Hidden Diagnosis — Blood Work Says “Normal” but Your Child Isn’t

[12:27] Advocacy 101 — How to Get Answers When Doctors Don’t Have Them

[14:13] How to Make Sure Your Pediatrician Takes You Seriously

[15:53] Therapy That Helps — How to Support Children

[17:54] Not Just Bad Behavior — Why Your Child Isn’t Misbehaving

[20:09] Supporting the Whole Family

[22:00] Covert OCD Revealed — When Your Child’s Obsessions Don’t Look Like OCD

[23:47] Why ERP Can Backfire During a Flare

[25:12] Pediatric OCD Exposed — Obsessions, Separation Anxiety, and the Hidden Signs

[27:44] Heavy-Hitter Symptoms — Emotional Outbursts, Bedwetting, ADHD...

[29:03] Are Some Kids Genetically Predisposed?

[30:26] Could Family History Play a Role?

[31:17] Step-by-Step Guidance — Therapy

[32:24] Get Help Now —How to Contact Lindsay and Access Real-World Resources

[33:32] Therapist Support & Networks — Angela’s Consultation Groups for Families and Professionals

[35:09] Closing Words — Hope, Awareness, and Why You’re Not Alone

 

✅ Free Resources & Links

• 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
• 📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
• 🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
• ✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/

 

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✅ About OCD Whisperer

Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.

 

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.

 

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• PANS and PANDAS OCD

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