PANDAS & PANS: An Integrative Approach

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Release Date: 9/10/2025 
Expiration Date: 12/31/2026 

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Activity Overview
This activity equips healthcare professionals to identify, diagnose, and manage PANDAS and PANS as complex neuroimmune conditions. Participants will explore infectious and environmental triggers, neuroinflammatory mechanisms, diagnostic frameworks, and conventional and emerging treatment approaches. The course highlights evidence-informed strategies to strengthen diagnostic confidence and improve patient outcomes.

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Target Audience
This activity is designed for an audience of physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals interested in the evaluation and management of pediatric neuroimmune conditions such as PANDAS and PANS.

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Learning Objectives

Epidemiology and Pathophysiology
Upon completion of the educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Describe the diagnostic definitions of PANDAS and PANS and their relevance to pediatric neuropsychiatric and neuroinflammatory disorders.
• Identify common infectious and environmental triggers and explain their mechanisms in initiating immune activation and neuroinflammation, particularly in the basal ganglia.
• Discuss relevant epidemiologic patterns and family history factors that may contribute to a child’s susceptibility.

Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis
Upon completion of the educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Identify the range of behavioral, neurological, and systemic symptoms associated with PANDAS and PANS.
• Apply current diagnostic criteria and testing approaches, considering both infectious and non-infectious contributors.
• Analyze symptom presentation in relation to potential underlying immune, infectious, and environmental factors.

Treatment Strategies
Upon completion of the educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Outline evidence-informed approaches for infection management, including when surgical interventions such as tonsillectomy may be indicated.
• Discuss strategies for reducing neuroinflammation and modulating immune activity, including the potential role of Intravenous Immunoglobulin therapy.
• Evaluate emerging treatment options, including those addressing environmental toxicants and gastrointestinal microbiome disruption.

Environmental and Genetic Considerations
Upon completion of the educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Assess the role of environmental toxicants in exacerbating or triggering PANDAS and PANS.
• Explain how toxicants may impact the microbiome, immune system, and neurological function.
• Discuss potential genetic susceptibilities that may influence a child’s response to environmental exposures.

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Criteria for Success
To obtain a certificate of completion, a score of 70% or better on the post-test is required. Please proceed with the activity until you have successfully completed this program, answered all test questions, completed the post-test and evaluation, and have received a digital copy of your certificate. You must participate in the entire activity to receive credit. If you have questions about this activity, please contact AKH Inc. at lritley@akhcme.com.

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Physicians
AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this enduring material for a maximum of 10.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses
Credit being awarded: 10.0 ANCC contact hours

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Commercial Support
There is no commercial support for this activity.

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DISCLOSURES
Name	Relationship	Commercial Interest
Jill Crista, ND	N/A	Nothing to disclose
Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN – President, AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare	N/A	Nothing to disclose
Jennifer Kasey, Psy.D.	N/A	Nothing to disclose
Michele Bielarski, RN (planner/reviewer)	N/A	Nothing to disclose
AKH Inc Staff and Planners	N/A	Nothing to disclose
Crista Corporation Staff and Planners	N/A	Nothing to disclose
All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

Disclosures
It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The author must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with ineligible companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflicts of interest are mitigated by AKH prior to accreditation of the activity. AKH planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Product 
This educational activity may include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

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Disclaimer 
This course is designed solely to provide the healthcare professional with information to assist in his/her practice and professional development and is not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The course serves as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore, cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. AKH Inc. specifically disclaim responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through participants misunderstanding of the content. If you would like to opt out from future communications from AKH please send an email to optout@akhcme.com with your information with “Opt Out” in the subject line.

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