What to do today

Cancel non-essential activities for today. Lower the lights. Reduce sounds and demands. The inflamed brain is overwhelmed by stimulation, and the child cannot regulate their way out of it. A quieter environment is a real medical intervention right now.

Call your pediatrician and ask for a strep test (rapid AND culture if possible), and a check for ear, sinus, urinary, and respiratory infections. New PANS/PANDAS flares are often triggered by a fresh infection, sometimes one that has not produced obvious symptoms. If your child has a fever or sore throat, mention it directly.

Write down what you saw today: the time, the symptom, the severity. If you have been logging in the Companion app, add today's entry. If you have not started yet, a notebook or notes app is fine. The log is what turns memory under stress into something you can show a doctor.

Sleep is one of the most powerful tools you have. If your child is struggling to sleep, talk to your provider about safe options. If you are exhausted, even an hour of help from a partner, family member, or friend matters. A regulated adult is a precondition for everything else.

Pick one adult in your life who can know what is happening. A spouse, a sibling, a friend, a fellow PANS parent online. Saying it out loud makes you less alone, and gives you someone to ask for help when you need it. You do not have to tell everyone. Just one is enough today.