FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2024
Contact: Leslie Anderson, Co-director of PANS PANDAS Awareness Day
lesliea1111@gmail.com 919.423.6103
TEXAS PANDAS PANS ADVOCACY & AWARENESS FACEBOOK PAGE
PANDAS / PANS Awareness Day
OCTOBER 9th, 2024, 9:00am - 12:45pm at the Texas State Capitol
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Medical and Holistic Practitioners, as well as parents with their children affected by PANS &/or PANDAS will be convening at the Texas State Capitol the morning of October 9th in an effort to make the public aware of PANS/PANDAS, providing education on proper diagnosis and available treatment options, with a panel Q&A, as well as for the purpose of building community for affected P/P families in Texas.
PANS and PANDAS are both auto-immune encephalitis (brain swelling) conditions that cause severe changes in a child's mental health and behavior. The term PANS can be the umbrella term for both afflictions.
· PANS is Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome - a condition that can be caused by infections like mold, the flu, Lyme disease, Mycoplasma, or chickenpox.
· PANDAS is Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections – a condition that's linked to strep throat or other strep infections that cross the blood brain barrier.
Neurological symptoms of PANS/PANDAS can be extreme and may include any of the following:
· Anxiety, depression, mood swings, suicidal ideation
· Obsessions and compulsions
· Tics or jerky movements
· Acting aggressive or "hyper"
· Sudden deterioration in school performance and handwriting
· Motor abnormalities &/or sensory sensitivities
· Insomnia and/or sleep disturbances
· Enuresis and/or urinary frequency
· Visual and Auditory Hallucinations
· Dilated pupils during emotional outbursts
Symptoms typically appear following an infection or other inflammatory reaction as the root cause. An estimated 1 in 200 children in the United States are affected by PANS or PANDAS, according to the PANDAS Network. Estimates suggest about 11,000 children develop this illness each year in Texas.
A healthcare provider educated on the disorder can diagnose PANS and PANDAS by performing a physical exam and evaluating a child's symptoms. Treatment is often targeted at the underlying infection and immune system. Many children who get treated for PANS and PANDAS make a complete recovery.
The October 9th, 2024 agenda will start with a Meet & Greet and then a Parent-Practitioner Panel of speakers taking questions about PANS / PANDAS.
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PANDAS / PANS Awareness Day
Q&A GUEST SPEAKERS
Dr. Amy Offutt – https://heartandsoulintegrativehealth.com/
Dr. Offutt is an extensively trained Integrative Medicine physician from Marble Falls, Texas, who treats patients with complex health issues using a wide array of individualized strategies for healing. Her goal is to partner with patients to empower them to regain vitality, strength, mental clarity, energy, purpose, and a desire to share their gifts with others. Dr. Offutt was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Advisory Council. In addition, she serves as the President of the Board of Directors for ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society).
Dr. Brock - PhD, DNP, DC, APRN, NP-C, DACNB, DCBCN, BCIM https://drbrock.com/
Dr. Brandon Brock is a Board-Certified Chiropractic Neurologist from Dallas, Texas. He holds a Doctorate in Family Nursing Practice from Duke University, a Doctorate in Chiropractic, a Diplomate in Functional Neurology, Nutrition, Conventional Medicine, and Integrated Medicine. He holds Fellowship status in Childhood Disorders, Neurology, Electro-diagnostic Medicine, and Neurochemistry, and is a Global Clinical Research Scholar from Harvard Medical School.
Lizzie Martinez - Homeopath https://www.lizziemartinez.com/
Lizzie holds board certification and a master’s degree in Homeopathic Medicine with fifteen years of clinical experience. She specializes in complex cases; including, but not limited to, PANS/PANDAS, autism spectrum, genetic anomalies, autoimmune dysfunction, myalgic encephalomyelitis, injuries, and long covid. She has a large pediatric practice and includes family system healing, focusing on acquired and inherited blocks to health, classical prescribing, acute prescribing, gemmotherapy CEASE therapy, Sensation Method, and homeoprophylaxis. She lives and practices in Austin, Texas and Mexico, seeing clients around the world via Telehealth.
Courtney Dillon - LPC https://plantingseedsntx.com/team/courtney-dillon/
Courtney Dillon is a Licensed Professional Counselor from Frisco, Texas. She received her MS in Counseling/Psychology from Southwestern Assemblies of God University with her and has been professionally counseling since 2016. She is EMDR trained through EMDRIA and offers a variety of other therapeutic interventions for children, teens, and adults, including play therapy, art therapy, sand tray therapy, CBT, ERP, psychoeducation, ACT, and mindfulness. She specializes in empowering individuals to heal from past trauma and help those with PANDAS/PANS, OCD, Anxiety, Autism, ADHD, Grief, and Depression.
Erin Paige – https://heartwinghealing.com/
Erin Paige is a mother of a child with PANS, survivor of Lyme, host of the Remedy Revolution Podcast, and homeopath working with autism, PANS/PANDAS, and complex conditions. She trained as a fitness instructor, studied nutrition, became a healthy food advocate, served the Birth and Baby Resource Network, and wrote a book on the mental and emotional connection to weight loss. She is the founder of an online forum on Facebook called “Saving Our PANDAS” for families with PANS/PANDAS who are using natural therapies such as homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, diet, donkey/camel milk, energy work, essential oils, and cannabis oil, etc. Erin lives in Austin, Texas.
Ann Bell Worley – https://graycoloredglasses.com/about/
Ann Bell Worley is a Houston-based blogger, writer, editor, and member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has publications in religion, parenting, and children’s literature, and her editing credits range in scope from children’s books to novels to sermon collections. Her publications include Blessing is Not About Good Fortune, on what it means to be “blessed,” Saturday Surprise, and Playtime Pickle. She currently writes about her experiences on her blog Gray Colored Glasses and is writing a book about PANS/PANDAS.
Kelley Siliven – https://www.betterhealthguy.com/rooftops
Kelley Siliven is a mother who recovered her son from severe PANS, survivor of Lyme, and an advocate for families affected by PANS/PANDAS, and Lyme disease. Her biggest passion is helping to answer questions and point people in the right direction for healing and is a great help to those who have questions about Low Dose Immunotherapy, Homeopathy, PANS/PANDAS, and Lyme disease. Kelley has her story of her son’s recovery and hope on Better Health Guy’s website above, a chapter published in the book by Melissa Nolan Somewhere in There: Families Living with PANS & PANDAS Share Their Journeys from Despair to Hope, as well as being a guest on podcasts relating to P/P. She grew up in San Antonio and attended the University of North Texas with a background in TV, radio, advertising, and media. She currently lives in Austin, Texas.
Leslie Anderson - https://homeopathyischanginglivespodcast.substack.com/
Leslie Anderson is a mom, speaker, medical freedom advocate, and mother of a recovering child with PANS/PANDAS from New Braunfels, Texas. She is the founder of The New Braunfels PANS/PANDAS/Lyme Support Group and Co-director of the 2023 and 2024 PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day at the Capitol. She is currently the co-host of the Homeopathy Is Changing Lives Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with Wren Lloyd, “International Homeopath for Autism”, and is currently in training to become a certified homeopath through George Vithoulkas’ International Academy of Classical Homeopathy.
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