Crystal says the change came after Lacy received the right diagnosis and treatment. Now, she\u2019s using her platform to raise awareness about pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, or PANS <\/a>\u2014 a condition in which children develop sudden obsessive-compulsive symptoms or restrictive eating, alongside an abrupt and dramatic behavioral decline. The syndrome is often linked to infections, though a clear trigger isn\u2019t always identified.<\/p>\n The PANDAS Physicians Network (PPN) explains a related condition, PANDAS \u2014 pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections \u2014 is considered a subtype of PANS. It follows the same sudden-onset pattern but is specifically tied to a recent strep infection and can include tics and neurological changes.<\/p>\n What Are the Symptoms?<\/p>\n Children with PANS or PANDAS don\u2019t just develop OCD-like behaviors or eating restriction overnight. They also experience a rapid onset of at least two other serious symptoms.<\/p>\n These can include:<\/p>\n Severe anxietyMood swings or depressionIrritability or aggressionRegression in behaviorSudden academic declineMotor or sensory abnormalitiesPhysical issues such as sleep disruption <\/p>\n Lacy suffered with all of the above; her mom told Newsweek that she was suddenly full of “rage.”<\/p>\n What May Cause It?<\/p>\n The PPN states researchers with believe simultaneous exposure to multiple infections can essentially \u201cmisfire\u201d the immune system. In some cases, that may mean the body\u2019s normal safeguards fail, allowing immune cells to attack healthy tissue. In others, the immune system may become overactivated and mistakenly target neuronal cells. Genetics may also play a role, with some children more predisposed to these abnormal immune responses than others.<\/p>\n How Lacy \u201cChanged Overnight\u201d<\/p>\n Crystal said the earliest signs appeared after Lacy developed food poisoning. She became intensely fearful of vomiting and started showing separation anxiety. She also stopped enjoying toys and TV shows.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was checked out,\u201d Crystal told Newsweek. \u201cLittle did we know that was the beginning of PANS.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, in July, her symptoms escalated dramatically.<\/p>\n \u201cShe had a mental break and almost had an episode of psychosis,\u201d her mother recalled. \u201cOne night, she became out of touch with reality and started banging on my door in the middle of the night, saying she needed to go to the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cShe didn\u2019t know why, but she knew something was happening.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter that, she had many fear episodes, it was insane. She became a fear-ridden kid.\u201d<\/p>\n Lacy was seen by multiple doctors and repeatedly diagnosed with anxiety and depression. But Crystal says the behavior looked like something deeper \u2014 and far more frightening.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems horrible to say, but she almost seemed possessed, like something came over her body.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was trying to run away. She felt trapped and was in utter terror.\u201d<\/p>\n Lacy began expressing suicidal thoughts<\/a>, she destroyed her bedroom multiple times and smashed a window. By August, she was begging to be admitted to a psychiatric ward.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything happened so fast, she started to try and hurt herself and us,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnxiety wasn\u2019t even the right word; she was scared of herself and so were her siblings.”<\/p>\n Crystal said psychiatrists struggled to explain what was happening. Feeling out of options, the family started researching on their own \u2014 and came across PANS.<\/p>\n \u201cI was trying to figure out what happened, because I didn\u2019t know who this child was,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The Search for Help Crystal took Lacy out of the psychiatric ward in September, and her family drove to Indiana to see a PANS specialist.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know it was a controversial diagnosis or that it would be an issue to get the diagnosis,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the hardest thing I have ever dealt with, and I think I have post-traumatic stress disorder <\/a>from it.\u201d<\/p>\n She stressed there were no major life events that could explain the shift and that Lacy’s grandmother moved in to help manage the chaos at home.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were times when I thought she was going to kill one of us \u2014 not necessarily meaning to \u2014 but I thought my parents were going to have a heart attack from stress,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n Lacy\u2019s symptoms were often quieter in the morning, then worsened at night. She refused to sleep. The family cycled through care options, many of which were not covered by insurance.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of insurance companies do not cover it, so we had to pay out of pocket,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for my parents, we wouldn\u2019t have been able to fund it.\u201d<\/p>\n She estimates her parents spent more than $10,000 <\/a>on testing and medication. Bloodwork screened for infections and abnormal antibodies.<\/p>\n A Turning Point \u201cFrom what I understand, her immune system attacked her brain, causing inflammation \u2014 autoimmune encephalitis \u2014 and she didn\u2019t have control of her brain,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n The family tried multiple antibiotics before one began to help. In December 2024, doctors recommended adding a very low-dose antipsychotic alongside antibiotics.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe were against it but we were so desperate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a turning point.\u201d<\/p>\n On Christmas Day last year, Crystal said she saw her daughter return.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a miracle \u2014 she was happy, smiling, and living life again,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Since then, Lacy has continued improving. She\u2019s had setbacks, but her mother says she is largely back to herself. She also receives IVIG infusions, a treatment aimed at regulating immune function and preventing relapse.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, she is living life again \u2014 doing extracurricular activities and hanging out with her friends,\u201d Crystal said.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think this would be possible one year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/paddy2_46a0a5.png\"\/)
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