Reducing OCD Symptoms in Children with PANDAS/PANS

For children with PANDAS/PANS with OCD, ERP therapy can help them reduce their OCD symptoms. PANDAS Network is partnering with NOCD to make virtual ERP available. NOCD accepts many insurance plans and is also offering a reduced rate of $100 per session for people not using insurance, through the end of May. NOCD could also play a role in restrictive eating issues related to OCD. Additional details are below, or schedule a free call with the NOCD team to get started.

Learning that your child is experiencing PANDAS/PANS can be overwhelming. Due to brain inflammation, children with PANDAS/PANS often experience a sudden onset of obsessions and/or compulsions. For children with PANDAS/PANS who are experiencing OCD, exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy can help them effectively manage and reduce their OCD symptoms.

ERP is a specialized therapy and is the evidence-based, gold-standard treatment for OCD. It’s been hard for people to get it in the past, but thanks to virtual therapy, ERP is more accessible than ever. Thankfully, in most cases, ERP is more effective when administered virtually than in-person treatment. That’s because, through virtual ERP therapy, children with OCD can work directly in the environment that triggers their obsessions, allowing them to more effectively address their fears. That is to say, a therapist can work with the child “in the moment.” Further, research has proven the efficacy of virtual ERP: it can make people significantly better in 50% less time than standard outpatient, in-person ERP therapy, improving the overall quality of life. 

NOCD is the leading national telehealth provider for the treatment of OCD and offers ERP therapy virtually to children and adults suffering with OCD symptoms. To make ERP available to more children in need of this necessary treatment, NOCD is partnering with the PANDAS Network. Our large network of licensed OCD specialists gives the PANS/PANDAS community in all 50 states in the US and many countries outside the US access to a critical part of a child’s treatment plan. All NOCD Therapists specialize in ERP, and many have the availability to begin working with new children, teens, and young adults within 7-14 days or less on average.

Inside the NOCD virtual therapy platform, children with PANDAS/PANS can do live face-to-face sessions with a therapist who has received specialty training in treating OCD in children, teens, and young adults, and receive between-session support. We maintain excellent clinical outcomes through rigorous oversight and management from our clinical leadership team comprised of top OCD experts and researchers.

Some children with PANDAS/PANS may also be experiencing restrictive eating issues, ARFID, or eating disorders. These conditions can be a part of several different issues and concerns, and those related to OCD are ones in which NOCD could play a role. Special accommodations can be made for these requests.

NOCD Therapists accept many major insurance plans to help make treatment affordable. We also want to provide as much support to the PANDAS/PANS community as possible, so for those who are not using insurance, through the end of May, many of our therapists are offering 60-minute sessions at a reduced rate of $100 for two months of treatment. ​​

Read more about how NOCD can help here. To learn more about getting your child matched with a licensed therapist who’s specifically trained to treat children and adolescents with OCD, schedule a free call with our team, and mention that you are part of the PANDAS Network.