When your child is struggling with PANS or PANDAS, it can feel like everything has changed overnight. Sudden shifts in mood, behavior, and even personality can leave you feeling scared, confused, and desperate for answers. And when information is limited and treatment options feel disjointed, parents often find themselves carrying the weight of figuring it all out alone.
While there’s no magic fix, one supportive tool that’s helped many families on this complex journey is neurofeedback. As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, neurofeedback offers a gentle, non-invasive way to support brain regulation, reduce stress on the nervous system, and improve cognitive and emotional functioning.
Eric’s Story
Eric was a middle schooler who had a history of multiple diagnoses, ODD, anxiety, mood disorder, and ADHD. You name a medication, they tried it and each had its own disastrous effect on Eric’s behavior and more importantly, each medication failure robbed his self-esteem and hope that things could ever get better.
His parents knew that there had to be something other than psychiatric medication and talk therapy because neither worked or seemed to address what was really causing his behavior. They scoured the internet, joined parent Facebook groups, and listened to podcasts.
Listening to a podcast that I was a guest on, Dan and Joyce heard for the first time about PANS and PANDAS and for the first time heard me talking about what seemed like exactly what Eric and they were going through. They quickly made a virtual appointment with me and when we put the pieces of the puzzle together, it was clear that Eric’s behavior changed in elementary school after his classroom had a mold remediation and the entire class had pneumonia multiple times.
After that year, Eric began to have “attention problems” and was diagnosed with ADHD even though he had no symptoms before age seven. Then “behavioral problems” began; Eric started having meltdowns and rages, as well as high anxiety.
Eric got diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Disruptive Mood Disorder and medication was prescribed. At first, his parents thought it was helping but then the antianxiety medication triggered Obsessive and Compulsive Disorder. And that is when Eric really started to fall apart.
The friends he had vanished, he couldn’t keep up at school, and he was a hot mess at home. By the time he got to me, the family was just about broken down. With the correct diagnosis of PANS, I designed a treatment plan for Eric that addressed the root causes and we focused on regulating his nervous system, so his body could use its resources to address the infections and toxins and repair the “damage” from years of letting these infections run amuck and toxins from the mold and psychiatric medication.
Neurofeedback was a big part of Eric’s success and once his nervous system could regulate, he was able to address his obsessive and angry behaviors. Each obstacle was able to be addressed and over time was able to get back to being himself.
How Do You Treat PANS, PANDAS, and AE?
There are many triggers for PANS, PANDAS and AE but Lyme Disease and Tick-borne infection is one of the most common sources. For more than two decades, I have supported hundreds of kids and adults affected by Lyme Disease and tick-borne illness. It is an awful disease because of the absolute ignorance of medical and mental health providers in identifying and treating the disease.
There are many potential triggers for PANS, PANDAS, and AE, but one of the most common—and often overlooked—is Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. I’ve spent more than two decades supporting children and adults affected by these complex conditions, and I’ve seen just how misunderstood they can be—even by well-meaning medical and mental health professionals.
Treating PANS, PANDAS, and AE requires more than just eliminating the toxin or infection. A complete and effective treatment plan also involves reducing inflammation, calming the nervous system and providing behavioral-emotional support. Integrative treatment is important in the healing process, especially when stress and agitation can make healing extremely difficult.
At our clinic, we use our trademarked BrainBehaviorReset™ Program, which is designed to regulate the nervous system and support the body’s natural ability to reset and recover.
One of the methods involved in the program is neurofeedback—a safe, research-backed method that helps calm the brain, improve attention, and support cognitive functioning.
When it comes to complex conditions like PANS and PANDAS, it’s essential to work with a neurofeedback provider who has extensive experience with children impacted by infections and toxins. It takes skill and deep clinical understanding to support these children in the right way—and that’s exactly what we do every day, both in our center and virtually with families around the world.
What is Neurofeedback and How Can It Help PANS and PANDAS?
Neurofeedback is a powerful tool that helps the brain learn how to regulate itself, so a child’s thoughts, behaviors, and focus become more balanced and manageable. Using advanced computer technology, your child’s brain receives gentle visual and auditory feedback that encourages the brainwaves to shift into healthier patterns. Over time, it learns how to stay in a more calm and focused state—without the need for conscious effort and intervention.
After a comprehensive assessment, I design a customized neurofeedback protocol to support your child’s unique brain needs. During sessions, the brain is rewarded whenever it moves into a more regulated rhythm, helping to restore balance and improve areas like attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation.
Neurofeedback does more than just help with focus. It supports communication between different parts of the brain, helping children calm racing thoughts, respond more appropriately to stimulation, and feel more emotionally grounded. It also influences brain chemistry and helps quiet the nervous system—so your child can slow down, feel safer in their body, and begin learning new, healthier ways of responding.
As a PANS mom myself, I know firsthand how deeply disruptive these symptoms can be—to your home, school life, friendships, and even how you parent. The emotional reactivity, rage, and rigidity often seen in PANS/PANDAS can stop families in their tracks.
That’s why neurofeedback is one of the most important tools in our healing toolkit. It helps reduce those intense behaviors safely and gently—so your child can feel more regulated and your family can begin to breathe again. Healing takes time, but with the right support, progress is possible.
Common PANS/PANDAS Symptoms Improved with Neurofeedback
Research shows that neurofeedback can be a highly effective tool for supporting children with a wide range of challenges—including those seen in PANS, PANDAS, AE, and Lyme.
Graphic: Common PANS/PANDAS issues addressed through Neurofeedback:
- Rage and anger
- Tics
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Restricted eating
- Anxiety
- Separation anxiety
- Mood and emotional lability
- Agitation
- Impulse control
- Withdrawn behaviors
- Attention
- Executive functioning
- Brain fog
- Learning, memory, and processing
- Bedwetting
- Sleep disturbance
- Chronic Pain
Dr. Roseann during a live neurofeedback session
Neurofeedback At Home and In-Center
Neurofeedback is more than just calming brain waves—it also supports neurotransmitter activity and can even lead to positive structural changes in the brain. At our center, we use an EEG-based neurofeedback system that’s FDA-regulated and carefully selected to deliver effective results, whether sessions take place in person or from the comfort of your home.
One of the things parents love about our equipment is how user-friendly it is. The technology has come a long way, and it fits seamlessly into our approach of building trust, offering clarity, and giving families the tools they need to feel supported every step of the way.
Sessions are typically 20 to 30 minutes and are appropriate for children as young as three—with modifications made based on each child’s unique needs. Neurofeedback is generally well-tolerated, with minimal side effects. Occasionally, some children may experience temporary symptom changes, which is why it’s so important to work with an experienced provider who can make thoughtful adjustments along the way. We always collaborate closely with families to decide when (and if) more assertive treatment steps are appropriate.
As part of our BrainBehaviorReset™ Program, we offer more than just neurofeedback. We also provide parent coaching, ERP for OCD, and educational consultations to review EEG brain maps and create personalized treatment plans. Because neurofeedback is a comfortable and non-invasive process, most families find it easy to stick with—and when paired with other holistic therapies, it becomes a powerful part of a long-term healing plan.
Our six-month BrainBehaviorReset™ Program is designed to help children make real, lasting progress by supporting brain regulation, emotional balance, and behavioral resilience—all with the partnership and guidance you deserve as a parent.
Dr. Roseann is a mental health expert in Self-Regulation who frequently is in the media:
- The Mel Robbins Show: Neurofeedback
- The Family Brain Podcast: Neurofeedback
- Aspire Care: Calming the PANS/PANDAS Brain with Neurofeedback
Always remember… “Calm Brain, Happy Family™”
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results.
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Dr. Roseann is a Children’s Mental Health Expert and Therapist who has been featured in/on hundreds of media outlets including, CBS, NBC, FOX News, PIX11 NYC, The New York Times, The Washington Post,, Business Insider, USA Today, CNET, Marth Stewart, and PARENTS. FORBES called her, “A thought leader in children’s mental health.”
She is the founder and director of The Global Institute of Children’s Mental Health and Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge. Dr. Roseann is a Board Certified Neurofeedback (BCN) Practitioner, a Board Member of the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society (NRBS), Certified Integrative Medicine Mental Health Provider (CMHIMP) and an Amen Clinic Certified Brain Health Coach. She is also a member of The International Lyme Disease and Associated Disease Society (ILADS), The American Psychological Association (APA), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) and The Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).
© Roseann-Capanna-Hodge, LLC 2023
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results.
