Transitioning to college marks a significant milestone for any young adult, but for those with PANS/PANDAS, this journey demands unique preparation and understanding. In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Susan Manfull welcomes Sheila Gauch, Principal and Clinical Director of Dearborn Academy, who brings both professional expertise and profound personal experience to the table.

Gauch, whose own college experience as an all-American swimmer was derailed by what she believes now was undiagnosed PANS symptoms, shares eight critical strategies each—for parents and for students—that transform the college transition from daunting to doable. Her guidance stems from both professional wisdom and her journey supporting two college-age children with PANS.

For parents, the process begins with helping their children truly understand their condition's immune-mediated nature, recognizing how different it is from primary psychiatric disorders. This knowledge becomes crucial when students need to advocate for themselves in college health centers where PANS/PANDAS awareness may be limited. Equally important is parents understanding their own stress responses, often shaped by years of hypervigilance and advocacy.

"I think caregiver stress and trauma, particularly with PANS families, is so ingrained," Gauch explains, comparing it to "a frog in a pot of boiling water—you don't realize you're boiling alive." Learning to manage this response becomes essential when letting children navigate college independently.

For students, success hinges on understanding how stress triggers inflammation, potentially causing symptom flares. They must become attuned to their bodies, practice effective coping strategies, and embrace self-advocacy—particularly when accessing disability support services. Perhaps most challenging is learning to accept imperfection and mistakes, especially difficult for those with perfectionistic OCD tendencies.

Gauch also introduces the Everest Program, a comprehensive coaching service helping students bridge the gap between high school structure and collegiate independence through academic, clinical, and transition support.

Whether you're a parent preparing to launch your child or a student planning your college journey, this episode offers practical wisdom for navigating this significant transition while managing PANS/PANDAS. Ready to build that bridge to college success? Listen now and discover how to transform challenges into stepping stones toward independence.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

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Dr. Andrew Baumel's story reveals how curiosity, compassion, and clinical observation can lead to breakthrough care for children suffering from immune-mediated neuropsychiatric disorders.

After 18 years as a traditional pediatrician, Dr. Baumel's professional trajectory changed dramatically when a parent asked if he knew anything about PANDAS. Though initially somewhat skeptical, attending an educational lecture with the parent in 2014 convinced him this was a genuine medical condition affecting children's brains following infections. Fast forward, he has now treated over 300 patients with mild to moderate cases of PANDAS and PANS using straightforward medical approaches in his regular pediatric practice.

Dr. Baumel shares fascinating clinical insights, including his identification of "protopans" – early, limited symptoms following infections that, when treated promptly, appears to prevent progression to full-blown disorders.

"I have a regular practice of 1500 kids, ages 0 to 23 years. I just incorporate these [mild cases of] PANS/PANDAS into my regular practice as my regular patients. This is doable," Dr Baumel said.

Dr. Baumel offers thoughtful perspective on why acceptance of PANDAS/PANS has been slow, drawing parallels to historical medical discoveries that initially faced skepticism before becoming standard practice.

Link to video of 2014 PANDAS Doctor's Breakfast that Dr. Baumel mentioned in this podcast: https://aspire.care/videos/qa-breakfast-for-doctors-featuring-national-pans-pandas-expert-panel-nepans-2014/ (Aspire website)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

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How does a common strep infection become a brain disorder? Dr. Uğur Akcan's journey from Istanbul to the cutting edge of PANDAS research with Dr. Dritan Agalliu reveals the fascinating intersection of immune system and brain function that could transform how we understand and treat neuropsychiatric disorders.

In this captivating conversation, Dr. Akcan shares his research path from studying complement levels in patients with bipolar disorder to pioneering work on the blood-brain barrier, ultimately contributing to groundbreaking discoveries about PANDAS and PANS in the Agalliu Lab at Columbia University. With remarkable clarity, he explains how mutations in the RxRA gene may explain why only some children develop these disorders after streptococcal infections, and how microglia—the brain's immune cells—fail to properly regulate neuroinflammation when this gene is compromised.

The discussion takes an unexpected turn as we learn how Dr. Akcan's vital research was nearly derailed in March 2025 by sudden NIH funding cuts directed by the Trump administration at Columbia. In a dramatic development, the PANDAS/PANS community rallied to save his position through a GoFundMe campaign, demonstrating the powerful connection between affected families and researchers working to solve this medical mystery.

Beyond the scientific discoveries, Dr. Akcan's personal story reflects the qualities that drive medical breakthroughs: curiosity about why peripheral infections trigger brain symptoms, perseverance through research challenges, and passion for helping those affected by these devastating disorders. His development of a 3D blood-brain barrier model and investigations into Th17 cells represent frontier science with real-world implications for treatment.

When Dr. Akcan is not in the lab, you may find him watching football, rooting for his favorite team, Galatasaray, or spending time with his wife and young child.

Dr. Agalliu also joins me to discuss how the NIH funding cuts have affected his lab.

Support Dr. Akcan's crucial PANDAS/PANS research by visiting this GoFundMe page and join the community working to unravel PANDAS and PANS. Your contribution could help transform our understanding of how infections trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms and lead to better treatments for children, adolescents, and young adults suffering from these disorders. Both researchers express deep gratitude to supporters of this work.

The goal is to raise $100,000 to cover Dr Akcan's annual salary and benefits -- only $15, 602 left!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

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