One story.
A reason to keep asking.

I was nine years old when everything suddenly changed.

Almost overnight, I began experiencing intense anxiety and OCD-like behaviors that felt completely unlike me. My personality changed. Everyday things became frightening, and our family knew something was wrong—we just didn’t know what.

We searched for answers for nearly a year.

I saw multiple doctors, traveled out of town for appointments, and my family even connected with specialists through international Zoom consultations. At first, my symptoms were viewed as anxiety, and medication was suggested. But my family kept asking questions because the sudden, dramatic change didn’t make sense.

Eventually, we found an answer: PANS.

Getting there wasn’t simple. My life changed in ways most people never saw. I was homeschooled for a period of time and went through therapy, nutritional support, medical treatments, and countless appointments. More than anything, I remember being scared—and watching my family work tirelessly to help me feel like myself again.

Today, talking about that chapter of my life still isn’t always easy. But I also know how different our journey might have been if someone had recognized the signs sooner.

That is why
I’m sharing my story.

Through TheSuddenDifference.org, I want families to know that when a child suddenly seems different, it is okay to keep asking questions. It is okay to seek another opinion. And it is important for parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, and communities to become more familiar with PANS.

I can’t change how long it took my family to find answers—but I can use what I went through to help another family feel less alone.

If my story can help one family find answers sooner, it’s worth sharing.

— Temple