Patient and family information · 2025
Read NIMH reference (opens in new tab) PANS: Questions and Answers
National Institute of Mental Health
Information you can
trace to its source.
Start here, take your time, and bring your questions to a healthcare professional. These are the references behind our educational content.
Clinical report · 2025
Read AAP reference (opens in new tab) Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS): Clinical Report
American Academy of Pediatrics · Pediatrics
Kentucky / October 9Going green,
Going green,
close to home.
Kentucky Goes Green is our invitation for families and neighbors here to take part in the wider PANS awareness campaign.
Kentucky has recognized the day.
The Kentucky House adopted resolutions declaring October 9 PANS Awareness Day in 2020 (Kentucky General Assembly, opens in a new tab) and 2022 (Kentucky General Assembly, opens in a new tab). Each resolution applied to its named year.
Green is the awareness color.
For October 9, ASPIRE’s 2026 #LightUp4PANS campaign (opens in a new tab) invites people to wear green or light a porch, window, or home green. Its page lists confirmed landmarks and participation ideas.
Bring it into your community.
A green light or a shared, sourced resource can start a conversation with a neighbor, school, or workplace. Check ASPIRE’s current list before planning a landmark visit; its confirmed 2026 list did not include a Kentucky location when we checked on September 23, 2026.
The evidence, honestlyClarity includes
Clarity includes
what is still unknown.
The AAP’s 2025 publication is a clinical report, rather than a clinical practice guideline, because the available evidence remains limited. AAP
We do not present proposed mechanisms or treatments as settled facts.
Does a sudden change always mean PANS?
No. Similar symptoms can have other medical or psychiatric explanations. A healthcare professional needs to consider those possibilities during a thorough evaluation.
NIMHIs there a test that confirms the diagnosis?
Can symptoms ease and then return?
Yes. Symptoms may improve or disappear for a period and later recur. Each child’s course can be different.
NIMHWhat is still being studied?
The causes and biological mechanisms are not fully established. The AAP identifies important gaps in the evidence for diagnosis and treatment. An association with an infection does not, by itself, establish the cause of a child’s symptoms.
AAPA guide written for families.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also publishes a plain-language PANS overview on HealthyChildren.org (opens in a new tab). The clinical journal may ask for verification or sign-in; this family guide is another way to read the AAP’s explanation.
How we use sources.
Medical statements link to the source that supports them. Temple’s experience is presented as her personal account. Practical prompts help families prepare a conversation; they are not a screening test.
References checked against the linked publications on September 23, 2026. This is an editorial source check, not an independent clinician review. References do not imply endorsement of TheSuddenDifference.org.
For individual care, speak with your child’s healthcare provider. NIMH