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Welcome to Finding the Next Right Thing
When my oldest son was first diagnosed with PANS/PANDAS, I was completely overwhelmed by the complexity of the condition, the number of possible root causes and triggers, and desperately searching to find something or someone to help him.
I was desperate for answers. Desperate for a roadmap. Desperate for someone who could tell me what to do next.
That’s why I created Finding the Next Right Thing, to be the resource I so desperately needed. Here, you’ll find not just general information, but real-world tools and guidance on treating PANDAS naturally, insights that can help parents support healing even when conventional treatments fall short or are unavailable. Because while prescription medications and antibiotics have their place, treating PANDAS naturally can be powerful in addressing the root causes.
This site is a space for parents walking the same road. It’s here to give you real tools, real information, and real hope.
What You’ll Find Here:
A compassionate PANS/PANDAS 101 for parents of newly diagnosed children
A breakdown of how herbs, food, and natural remedies for PANS and PANDAS can support healing
Awareness of how deeply our environment impacts our children’s health, even before they are born
Empowerment to become a strong, informed advocate for your child
And a call for parents who’ve made it through the fire to share their stories, because the wisdom of those who’ve gone before us is one of our greatest resources
And, every parent deserves support, someone who sees them.
Finding the Next Right Thing means letting go of the pressure to solve it all at once. You won’t find every trigger today. You won’t have every answer tomorrow. But you will move forward. Step by step. Layer by layer. Moment by moment.
So take a deep breath.
Start with what’s in front of you.
And trust that every positive intervention, every detox bath, every castor oil pack, every gut-healing meal, is a step toward healing.
You’re not alone on this journey.
We are in this together.
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Why did I feel led to create FNRT? Because it shouldn’t be this HARD. Pediatricians should be trained to recognize the symptoms of PANDAS/PANS in their patients. Parents should expect their child’s pediatrician to acknowledge their child’s autoimmune disease exists. Families should have access to specialists that take medical insurance. Families should have medical insurance to cover the two core medical treatments for the children on the most severe end of the scale.
But that is not the reality we are living in.
Instead, families are gaslighted by doctors who tell them PANDAS is make believe and they need psych meds. Parents on average have to go to 3-4 doctors before someone believes them. I had two pediatricians dismiss me, and a pediatrician who is a family friend tell my aunt that PANS/PANDAS wasn’t real….
Why did I create FNRT? Because it shouldn’t be this HARD. Pediatricians should be trained to recognize the symptoms of PANS and PANDAS in their patients. Parents should be able to expect that their child’s doctor will acknowledge an autoimmune brain inflammation disorder. Families should have access to specialists who accept insurance.
And insurance should readily cover the two core medical treatments, IVIG and plasmapheresis, for the children who are suffering the most.
But that is not the reality we are living in. Not yet.
Instead, families are gaslighted. Dismissed. Told it’s just anxiety, OCD, bad parenting, and told to try psych meds. Told PANS/PANDAS isn’t real. Parents, on average, have to see three to six doctors before they find someone who believes them.
The Cost of Being Dismissed
And the families who suffer the most? They’re the ones without the financial means to pay thousands and thousands of dollars out of pocket.
IVIG, the lifeline for so many of these children, can cost $10,000 -$15,000 per round. And most insurances won’t cover it.
The heartbreaking truth is this: If a child goes years without the treatment they need, the harder the recovery. Their risk of living with ongoing OCD, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, even suicidal ideation, skyrockets.
In America today, if you can’t afford to drop $50,000+ on the only two conventional medical treatments available…
You may not be able to access the conventional medical care for PANS/PANDAS. And that’s not okay.
And naturopaths and functional medicine doctors are typically out of pocket running several hundreds of dollars per visit. Many families are left without options.
But There Is Another Way
And that’s where this site, and herbal medicine, comes in.
Even if you can’t afford the conventional medical model…
Even if the doctors aren’t listening…
Even if you’re running out of options…
You still have options.
Because God gave us herbs to help heal our bodies and there are many benefits to treating PANDAS naturally.
In fact, Ecclesiastes 38:4 says "The Lord created medicines out of the Earth, and a sensible man won't ignore them."
This site is for the mother who is fighting with everything she’s got.
For the father desperately trying to understand the next step.
For the families doing the best they can with the resources they have.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just need to find the next right thing.
The Beauty of Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine is often called the medicine of the people. Anyone with dedication and curiosity can learn herbalism. There are countless books, free or affordable classes, webinars and other resources to anyone who wants to take that journey.
One of the most fascinating aspects of herbal medicine, to me, is the symbiotic relationship between plants and humans. Just like us, plants are constantly interacting with their environment, they face bacteria, toxins, fungi, radiation and other stressors. But unlike us, they can’t run away or call for help. Instead, they adapt by producing specialized biochemical substances that act as their immune system, phytochemicals like polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes and alkaloids, that protect and heal them.
And when we consume those same compounds? They help and heal us too.
My inner hippie + nerdy self are equally amazed by this. You can’t tell me that’s not by design.
From Overwhelmed to Empowered
If you told me two years ago that I would be taking classes in herbalism, making my own herbal glycerites, syrups and capsules, or growing my own herbal medicine, I would have laughed out loud!! But as is true of many mothers before me, the pain of watching your child suffer will move you to do just about anything. And once you begin to learn, it’s hard not to keep going.
My Mission: Empowered Parents, Aware Providers
My mission with this site is simple:
To empower parents to push past nay-sayers.
To give them the tools to advocate with knowledge and confidence.
To be a resource for those navigating PANS/PANDAS.
To explore treating PANDAS naturally.
To raise awareness, one story, one child, one provider at a time.
I deeply believe that when parents are equipped with knowledge, they can go beyond the standard toolkit and advocate for their child’s unique needs. That kind of advocacy creates change, not just for your family, but for others who come behind you.
We are blessed to have found an amazing pediatrician. Aside from being rocket scientist level smart, she is compassionate, curious and open-minded. She stepped in when we needed someone most, and I will forever be grateful for her presence in our lives.
But if your pediatrician isn’t on board with the diagnosis, or doesn’t support treatment, please don’t stop there. Keep looking. You will find someone who sees what you see. And when your child gets better, and they will, share that transformation. Share the story with the former pediatrician, not out of spite, but in the hope that next time, they’ll be more prepared.
Your Story Matters
Pediatricians are humans too. They weren’t taught about PANS/PANDAS in medical school, and the AAP didn’t even recognize PANS/PANDAS until 2025. And honestly, it often takes seeing the dramatic before-and-after, of a child treated with antibiotics or steroids, for skepticism to melt into belief.
That’s why our stories matter. When parents share what worked and what didn’t, when we bring our child’s healing journey into the light, we help pave the way for earlier diagnoses and faster intervention for the next family.
We don’t need every pediatrician to be a PANS expert. We just need them to recognize the signs, take it seriously, and refer the child to someone who can help.
So please: share your story. Someone out there needs to hear it, it may change someone’s life.
Our world has become far more toxic than most people realize.
Babies born today carry an average of 287 chemicals at birth.
If we’re not educating future mothers about this now, we’re setting the next generation up for more autoimmune and chronic illnesses.
Even as someone who ate clean and lived “healthy” when trying to conceive, I still would do so much differently now.
When we talk about preparing for pregnancy, most people think of eating organic healthy food, cutting out caffeine and alcohol. And yes, those things matter. But the more you learn, the more you realize the foundation is much deeper.
It’s not just about diet. It’s about: Reducing our Toxic Load.
Our modern environment is flooded with endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, pesticides, PFAS, microplastics, and EMFs. And a mother’s body becomes the baby’s environment. What’s in her tissue and blood becomes the baby’s baseline.
Detox has become a necessity. From swapping out toxic cookware and cleaning products, to reducing plastic use, to gentle binders and liver support, we can begin clearing what doesn’t belong long before we ever conceive.
PANS, Genes and Sibling Risk
When my oldest was diagnosed with PANS/PANDAS, I never imagined more than one of my children could develop the same condition. I was laser-focused on getting him through his flare. I didn’t immediately start supporting my other children with the same interventions, gut healing, minerals, detoxification, until much later. But now, I have more than one child with PANS/PANDAS. I’ve learned this the hard way.
There’s even a gene, an HLA variant, sometimes called the “autoimmune gene.” If you know early in life that this gene is present, you can make choices that reduce the chances of ever “flipping that switch.” Epigenetics shows us that genes are not destiny. Environment matters. Lifestyle matters.
And even if your other children don’t carry that gene, siblings are still at higher risk due to shared environments and exposures. So support them all as if they are vulnerable—because they are. Build them up: nourish their mineral stores, protect their gut health, reduce their toxic load. Nourish. Detox. Heal. Protect.
Hi! I’m Brooke. I’m a mom to three sweet boys.
One is a very precocious gifted lego master momma’s boy who has such a kind heart, he donated his aquarium gift shop prize money to Save the Sea Turtles Foundation; one is the most gentlest purest soul of a boy who is a dancing social animal who loves dogs, all shapes and sizes but most especially golden retrievers; and one is the hot mess express neurodivergent wild child who is extremely artistic, loves to help his mom or dad around the house, and is the last to go to sleep at night and the first to wake up every morning.
They all have PANS/PANDAS.
One has ARFID.
All three have ADHD, and probably some other acronyms.
I married my high school sweetheart, and he likes to constantly remind people that I’m older than him (by thirty-eight days); in high school we competed to see who could have the highest grade in our Latin class, and now we compete over how many kids we each get when we have to divide and conquer, and who gets the easiest child.
We lived in mold for years, and it affected each of us differently. I’m a parent in the throes of PANS/PANDAS slowing moving from surviving to thriving. Our oldest went untreated for three years (because of nay-sayers) and was in a very dangerous state 18 months ago. We’re treating PANDAS naturally, along with conventional medicine as needed.
The last couple of years have brought me to my knees, and I’ve felt Jesus pick me back up, again and again.
He’s my why.
And so are you.
You cannot do all the things at once. The sheer number of interventions available can feel paralyzing. Instead, the below are usually what is more likely to support stabilizing a child in crisis.
Inflammation
Neuroinflammation is what drives the symptoms of PANS/PANDAS. Before you can effectively deal with infections or detox, you need to calm the inflammatory fire. Look into anti-inflammatory herbs and resolvins.
If Actively Sick-Treat the Trigger
If a child is actively sick (viral, bacterial, fungal), you may need to go ahead and support the immune system right away with herbal antivirals or antimicrobials, or request pharmaceutical antibiotics from your pediatrician.
Minerals + Magnesium
Most kids with PANS/PANDAS are running on empty when it comes to minerals. Consider adding Magnesium, a multi-mineral or trace minerals, and zinc.
Detox Pathways
Before you get too aggressive with antimicrobials, make sure your child can eliminate what’s already being released. Look into supportive practices like vibrations plates and lymphatic drainage techniques.
Rule Out or Address Mold
If mold is a factor in your home or your child’s history, it must be addressed early. Mold and mycotoxins cripple the immune system and can sabotage every other intervention. If you have a PANS/PANDAS child, you MUST consider mold. Mold is a much bigger driver of PANS/PANDAS than most people think. As someone who survived living in mold, trust me when I tell you to look deep into mold. Ours was hidden in our home. There’s no way I would have even known it was there, if I didn’t go looking for it.
Gut Health
Healing begins in the gut. If the microbiome is dysfunctional, nutrient absorption is impaired, immune dysregulation worsens, and inflammation spirals. Start with gut-supporting herbs, probiotics, and dietary interventions.
Once these foundational systems are in place, you can layer in additional interventions, whether that’s addressing chronic infections (Lyme, Bartonella, Mycoplasma), stabilizing histamine responses, or tackling mitochondrial dysfunction.
THE ROADMAP
Herbal Guide – A practical guide to treating PANDAS naturally with food, herbs, nutraceuticals, vitamins, minerals and supportive practices to address various triggers and foundational systems.
Root Causes & Triggers – The “why” behind the flare. This is a roadmap into the most common drivers of PANS/PANDAS.
Blog – The blog is where you’ll find digestible, science-informed articles written by a mom who’s also doing the research, living the protocols, and seeing what works in real life. If you’re looking for a specific topic, use the search function to find your topic and sign up for the newsletter to receive articles as they come out.
Apothecary – This section is all about making your own medicine. Learn how to create your own herbal medicine at home—saving time, money, and unnecessary fillers. Save your budget for the high-ticket items (like spore-based probiotics and specialty formulas), and build a home apothecary that supports your family’s needs with confidence
Resources – Curated books, trusted sites, podcasts, studies, and more to deepen your understanding.
Favorites – My personal list of go-to items to make your healing journey a little easier and more manageable. It’s the “mom-approved” list I wish I had when we were just getting started.
You don’t need to do it all at once, just take the next step, one layer at a time.
You’ve got this.
We’ve got this.
Let’s find the next right thing—together.
What is PANS/PANDAS?
A guide for parents, loved ones, and anyone trying to understand what’s happening to a child they care about.
If you’re reading this because someone you love has mentioned PANS or PANDAS or because a child in your life has changed in ways you don’t understand, you’re in the right place. It’s okay if this is all new to you. Many people, even well-trained doctors, haven’t heard of these conditions or don’t fully understand them. But for the families living through it, the reality is life-altering.
PANS and PANDAS are medical conditions that cause sudden, dramatic changes in a child’s behavior, mood, and neurological function. These children may go from happy and typical one day to anxious, obsessive, aggressive, or even unable to eat or sleep the next. For parents, it often feels like their child has been taken overnight. And for loved ones watching from the outside, it can be confusing, heartbreaking and easy to misinterpret.
Understanding the Basics
PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections. PANS is Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. The difference is in the trigger: PANDAS is specifically associated with a strep infection, while PANS includes a broader range of triggers like viruses (flu, COVID), bacteria (Mycoplasma), or even environmental exposures like mold.
In both conditions, something triggers the child’s immune system to become confused. Instead of just fighting the infection, the immune response mistakenly targets the child’s own brain, particularly a region called the basal ganglia, which is involved in movement, emotion regulation, and behavior. This creates a storm of symptoms that are very real, very sudden, and often misdiagnosed.
When was this Discovered?
PANDAS was first formally described in the 1990s by Dr. Susan Swedo, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health. She noticed that a group of children developed obsessive-compulsive symptoms and tics shortly after having strep throat. These weren’t gradual changes, they were acute, almost overnight. Over time, doctors began to see that similar patterns could be triggered by infections beyond strep, leading to the broader diagnostic category of PANS.
Despite being identified over 35 years ago, awareness is still low, and diagnosis is often delayed. This is one reason many families go through months, or even years, of searching for answers, seeing multiple specialists, and trying treatments that don’t work before someone finally recognizes what’s going on.
What Does It Look Like?
One of the hallmark signs of PANS or PANDAS is sudden-onset symptoms. A child who was functioning well may suddenly become anxious, obsessive, aggressive, defiant, clingy, or deeply withdrawn. Parents often describe it as “something flipping overnight.”
Common symptoms include new and intense obsessive-compulsive behaviors (like hand washing, rituals, or checking), severe separation anxiety, panic attacks, aggressive outbursts or rage, frequent urination, bedwetting, refusal to eat, depression, sensory sensitivities, and problems with sleep. Tics with sudden, repetitive movements or vocal sounds may also appear.
But not every child presents in a dramatic, overnight way. In cases where a child is triggered by chronic mold exposure, congenital Lyme, or some other environmental triggers, symptoms may not always present as acutely. Parents may notice a slow erosion of emotional regulation, increased anxiety, worsening sensory issues, or personality changes over weeks or months. These children are often missed or misdiagnosed because their symptoms don’t fit the “classic” pattern.
Whether symptoms come on overnight or develop over time, they often wax and wane, flaring after illnesses, stress, or environmental exposures. This cyclical nature is part of what makes PANS and PANDAS so difficult to recognize and diagnose.
How is it Diagnosed?
There is no single definitive test for PANS or PANDAS. It is what doctors call a clinical diagnosis, meaning it’s based on the child’s symptoms, history, and response to treatment, not on a yes-or-no blood test.
Doctors look for a very specific pattern: sudden onset of symptoms, often following an infection or environmental exposure, combined with neuropsychiatric symptoms that don’t fit a typical psychiatric diagnosis. It’s also important to rule out other causes, like neurological disorders or metabolic diseases.
Some providers use a specialized test called the Cunningham Panel, which measures certain antibodies that may indicate the immune system is attacking the brain. While this test can support a diagnosis, it’s not perfect. It may miss children who are clearly affected, especially if they’re not actively in a flare at the time of testing. A negative Cunningham Panel does not mean the child doesn’t have PANS or PANDAS.
What Does Treatment Look Like?
Treatment for PANS and PANDAS can vary widely from child to child because each child’s terrain, meaning their unique biology, gut health, and detox pathways, is different. Some children respond quickly to a short course of antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications, especially if treatment starts soon after symptoms appear. Others may need antibiotics for months or even years.
A major factor that influences how long and intense treatment will be is the child’s overall terrain. One child might have severe leaky gut and vitamin deficiencies. Another may carry a high toxic burden of heavy metals and mold or have issues with methylation pathways. Yet another child may be much more resilient and healthier at baseline. As a result, even if all three children begin treatment at the same time, their healing plans will look very different.
Conventional medical treatment usually includes antibiotics to target infections, steroids to reduce inflammation, and, in severe cases, more advanced immune therapies like IVIG or plasmapheresis. However, many families find that treating PANDAS naturally is just as important as conventional care.
This is especially true for children who need more holistic support, like healing leaky gut, restoring mineral balance, opening detox pathways, and supporting mitochondrial and methylation function. Treating PANDAS naturally includes herbal therapies, nutrient support, detox strategies, and dietary changes to calm the immune system and reduce inflammation. Functional medicine practitioners often combine these natural remedies with conventional approaches, recognizing that true healing goes beyond suppressing symptoms, it’s about restoring balance to the entire body.
In more complex cases, children may need ongoing support for months or years. Functional medicine and holistic therapies often focus on addressing root causes like gut health, mold exposure, chronic infections, and detoxification. These strategies reduce the overall toxic burden, nourish the body, and build a more resilient foundation for long-term healing.
Early treatment is critical. Research and experience show that children diagnosed and treated quickly, whether with conventional medicine, treating PANDAS naturally, or a combination of both, tend to have better outcomes. Even for children who go years without a diagnosis, healing is still possible. It may just take a more layered, patient approach.
Why Haven't I Heard of This Before?
PANS/PANDAS isn’t widely taught in medical schools. Many pediatricians, therapists, and psychiatrists haven’t been trained to recognize it. Because the symptoms look like psychiatric issues, OCD, anxiety, aggression, ADHD, eating disorders, kids are often misdiagnosed and treated with medications that don’t address the root cause: brain inflammation driven by the immune system.
This can lead to years of trial and error. Many families report being told their child just needs stricter discipline, more therapy, or psychiatric medication. Meanwhile, the underlying immune dysfunction goes unaddressed.
What You Can Do to Help
If you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher, friend, or loved one, your support matters more than you know. These families are often exhausted, scared, and isolated. They may have been dismissed or even blamed. Your belief in them is powerful.
Ask questions. Read. Be curious and compassionate. Offer help, even if it’s just watching siblings, sending a meal, or giving a parent a moment to breathe. Understand that the child isn’t bad, their brain is inflamed, and their nervous system is overwhelmed. They need care, not punishment.
And most of all: know that recovery is possible. With the right support, many children improve dramatically. You can be part of that healing, just by being open to understanding.
