Navigating PANS and PANDAS
Insights, strategies and support for parents
Our online conference, Navigating PANS and PANDAS, brought to our community a range of experts dedicated to supporting lives affected by PANS and PANDAS. Each speaker delivered an informative and interactive webinar designed to support caregivers and families who are affected by the conditions.
Please use the links below to find out more about the speakers, watch the recordings, and view their slides.
Please note, we are working hard to add subtitles to each recording.
Specialist speakers:
Monday
Parenting strategies
Dr Vicky Queralt
Clinical Psychologist
Monday 29 Sept
12pm
This webinar explores why experiencing PANS or PANDAS can feel so intense for both children and parents, and how compassion and practical strategies can help navigate “the storm”.
Vicky addresses the pressure parents often feel for their child to “return to baseline” and explores how to shift towards celebrating progress step by step, reducing pressure, and finding steadiness in the present. You’ll learn how to build skills for tolerating uncertainty and support your emotional wellbeing.
Vicky also shares compassion-focused strategies to reduce threat and over-drive while strengthening the soothing system — for both parent and child.
Financial worries
Julie Pike
Health
Co-ordinator
Monday 29 Sept
4pm
Financial worries affect many families living with PANS or PANDAS. Julie Pike is a Poverty Proofing© Health Co-ordinator with Children North East. She works with and supports children, young people and families experiencing poverty and disadvantage.
In this webinar, Julie discusses the ‘NHS Low Income’ and ‘Healthcare-related Travel Costs’ schemes, welfare grants and other financial support options for you and your family.
Benefit advice
Robert Mandelstam
Benefits Advisor
Monday 29 Sept
7pm
Robert Mandelstam is a Welfare Benefit Advisor at the Maggie’s Centre at the Royal Marsden, a charity focused on providing financial, emotional and practical support to those living with cancer. Robert has been working in the field of welfare benefit advice for over 10 years in a range of different settings, namely, the NHS, local authority/housing providers and other third sector organisations.
Robert aims to break down the barriers which exist around accessing support for some of the most vulnerable people in society and is adept at providing advice from the initial stages of a claim, through to representation at benefit tribunals.
Tuesday
Supporting sensory needs in PANS and PANDAS
Beth Smithson and Michelle Newby
Occupational Therapists
Tuesday 30 Sept
12pm
This webinar discusses how to identify sensory challenges during flares and remission, practical strategies for parents to support their children, and empowers families with tools for everyday regulation.
Michelle is Clinical Director of Stepping Stones Therapy for Children and a registered occupational therapist with extensive experience in the field of paediatrics.
Beth is an Occupational Therapist, member of the SEND network and programme facilitator for sensory inclusive schools. She has extensive clinical experience in the NHS, social care and education, working primarily with children, young people, and families.
Supporting healing with nutrition
Susie Rucker Nutritional Practitioner
Tuesday 30 Sept
4pm
Susie is an award-winning Nutritional Practitioner and the owner of Rucker Nutrition. Susie’s specialisation includes neurodivergence, autoimmune conditions, energy and mood imbalances, hormonal fluctuations and skin issues, as well as supporting children and young people living with distress, anxiety or eating disorders.
As a qualified nutritional therapist, Susie discusses how eating well can promote wellbeing, support the immune system and restore balance.
Talking therapy for young people
Lucy McDonald
Integrative Psychotherapist
Tuesday 30 Sept
6pm
Lucy McDonald is an Integrative Psychotherapist with a special interest in PANS, PANDAS and complex conditions. She is qualified to work with parents helping them manage their child’s anxiety and OCD. She hosts the PANS PANDAS podcast and advocates for a better therapeutic understanding of the illness.
In this webinar, Lucy discusses how talking therapy can help children and young adults, and how she can work with parents to support them as caregivers.
Wednesday
Trauma, understanding and healing
Naomi Fisher
Clinical Psychologist
Wednesday 1 Oct
12pm
Naomi Fisher is a Clinical Psychologist, trauma therapist and author. Naomi specialises in trauma, autism and alternative ways to learn.
This webinar explains what trauma is and how it relates to PANS or PANDAS. Naomi discusses how trauma affects the brain, what the signs of trauma are, and what families can do to heal.
Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII)
Kelly Jarvis
Head of Consultancy
Wednesday 1 Oct
4pm
Families dealing with complex medical conditions like PANS and PANDAS often face scepticism or misunderstanding from professionals. In rare cases, this can lead to serious allegations, including professional confusion regarding Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII). Kelly’s webinar explores ways to advocate for your child, how to communicate clearly and safely with professionals, and how to navigate FII investigations.
Previously the Head of a highly specialist residential school for Autistic children, Kelly has valuable experience in fulfilling EHCPs in order to ensure the best possible outcome. Kelly also trains school leaders and advocates in representing their educational establishments at SENDIST tribunals, and has been powerfully advocating for families at Sunshine Support since 2021.
Thursday
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)
Abigail Fisher Educational Psychologist
Thursday 2 Oct
10.30am
Children with PANS or PANDAS often unexpectedly develop special educational needs (SEN) and many go on to require an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Although awareness of these conditions is slowly growing, many professionals have still not heard of them, which can make getting the right support harder.
This webinar briefly outlines the EHCP process, discusses some of the particular problems in these circumstances and offers some ideas to help.
Regulating the nervous system
Dr Joanne Riordan Educational Psychologist
Thursday 2 Oct
12pm
A dysregulated nervous system can influence emotions, sensory experiences, and focus in children and young people. During a PANS or PANDAS flare, these responses may intensify.
Dr Joanne Riordan is a neurodivergent Educational Psychologist, qualified teacher and a parent herself. Joanne personally knows what it is like to advocate tirelessly for her child’s needs. Watch Joanne’s webinar to discover supportive strategies for you and your family.
Neurodivergence, PANS and PANDAS
Helen Edgar and Laura Hellfeld Autism Consultant and Nurse Consultant
Thursday 2 Oct
4pm
Helen Edgar is an autistic advocate, author and consultant with extensive experience in teaching children and young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
As a Nurse Consultant, Laura has years of experience in creating inclusive spaces to ensure that communities of people, like neurodivergent and disabled, feel truly welcomed into those groups.
This webinar discusses the overlap between PANS, PANDAS and neurodivergence. Helen and Laura dispel myths, and provide practical tools for supporting children and young people at home and in education.
Friday
Ask the Experts – Youth Board takeover!
Our Youth Board
Friday 3 Oct
6pm
Our Youth Board comprises amazing children and young people whose lives have been affected by PANS or PANDAS.
Wrapping up the conference, some of our youth board members come together with clinical experts, including Paediatric Neurologist Dr Raj Gupta, to answer questions about PANS, PANDAS and navigating the journey as a young person.
The additional text below has been provided by each specialist speaker:
Dr Victoria Queralt
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Vicky Queralt is an HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist specializing in pediatric psychology, with over 20 years of experience supporting children, young people, and families across NHS, educational, and independent practice settings. She has a particular focus on PANS/PANDAS, neurodiversity, and helping children and parents manage procedural anxiety.
Vicky uses evidence-based approaches, tailored to individual needs and preferences, aiming to empower families with practical tools, emotional support, and confidence to navigate complex health journeys. She currently works with a digital health company to improve healthcare experiences for children and families, is a trustee for the PANS/PANDAS UK charity, and is the founder of her own independent practice supporting children, young people, and family wellbeing.
Julie Pike
Health Co-ordinator
I’m Julie, a Poverty Proofing© Health Co-ordinator with Children North East, a charity that works with babies, children and young people in their families, schools and communities to ensure they grow up to be healthy and happy. For much of my career, I’ve been involved in working with and supporting children, young people and families experiencing poverty and disadvantage. This involved setting up food and clothes banks, running children and youth groups and providing holiday activities for families as well as working with schools, local authorities and community organisations.
I’m a dedicated and passionate person who is committed to creating positive change and supporting those in need. As a Poverty Proofing© Health Co-ordinator I have the privilege of engaging with patients and staff to identify barriers and challenges people experiencing poverty face, reducing stigma and discrimination and enable equitable access to healthcare services.
Dr Joanne Riordan
Educational Psychologist
Dr Joanne Riordan is a neurodivergent Educational Psychologist, qualified teacher (who has educated every age group), and a parent herself. Joanne personally knows what it is like to advocate tirelessly, to get your child’s needs met.
Dr Joanne’s company is passionate about ensuring families and education staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need, so that all young people receive neuro-affirming support to thrive. She leads a popular Facebook page community and she has free resources on her website to support families and schools. Joanne has a special interest in PANS and PANDAS. Joanne has successfully supported many young people with PP, through EHCP assessments and workshops for parents and school staff. Joanne advocates for greater awareness of the unique needs of young people with PP, plus she has consulted to PANS PANDAS UK on a voluntary basis.
