PANDAS/PANS Specialist Near Detroit
As a parent, there’s nothing more unsettling than watching your child change overnight. One day they’re happy, social, and thriving—then suddenly, they’re anxious, compulsive, angry, or withdrawn. You know something is wrong, but the answers aren’t coming. Pediatricians may dismiss it as a phase. Therapists suggest behavioral interventions. Psychiatrists offer medication. But no one seems to ask why this happened in the first place.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and you’re not imagining things. Conditions like PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) and PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) are very real, and they represent a profound disruption of the immune system’s interaction with the brain.
At the Restorative Medicine Center in Rochester Hills, just outside Detroit, Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal specializes in getting to the bottom of these complex, immune-mediated disorders. Her practice goes far beyond symptom management. She focuses on identifying and treating the root causes of neurological and behavioral changes—whether they stem from hidden infections, environmental toxins, or chronic stress on the nervous system.
What Are PANDAS and PANS?
PANDAS and PANS are autoimmune conditions that affect children—often abruptly and dramatically. They occur when the immune system, instead of calming down after fighting an infection or environmental threat, mistakenly begins attacking the brain. This immune crossfire often targets the basal ganglia, a part of the brain that regulates behavior, emotion, and movement.
What Is PANDAS?
PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. In these cases, the trigger is typically a strep infection. Instead of a full recovery, the child develops sudden-onset symptoms like obsessive-compulsive behaviors (OCD), tics, or extreme emotional changes.
What Is PANS?
PANS—Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome—involves the same type of autoimmune brain inflammation, but it is triggered by a wider range of insults, including:
- Lyme disease and co-infections like Bartonella
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Mold exposure and environmental biotoxins
- Viruses (like Epstein-Barr virus or COVID-19)
- Even severe psychological stress
Whether it’s labeled PANDAS or PANS, the result is the same: a sudden change in your child’s mental, emotional, and physical state due to immune-driven brain inflammation.
Common Symptoms of PANDAS/PANS
Children may experience:
- Sudden and intense OCD behaviors
- Motor or vocal tics
- Mood swings, rage episodes, or unexplained anxiety
- Regression in academic, social, or developmental skills
- Separation anxiety and sleep disturbances
These changes are not “just behavioral.” They are red flags of immune dysfunction that deserve a deeper investigation—exactly what Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal specializes in.
Why PANDAS/PANS Are Often Misdiagnosed
Despite the growing body of evidence supporting the autoimmune nature of PANDAS and PANS, these conditions are still frequently missed—or worse, dismissed—by conventional medicine. The core reason? Most traditional medical models focus on symptoms, not systems.
The Limitations of a Symptom-Based Approach
In a standard pediatric or psychiatric evaluation, symptoms like anxiety, OCD behaviors, rage, or attention issues are usually classified and labeled. The diagnosis might be ADHD, anxiety disorder, depression, oppositional defiant disorder—or even autism spectrum disorder. But these are all descriptive diagnoses. They don’t explain why the child suddenly changed. They simply name what’s happening on the surface.
This approach often leads to:
- Psychiatric medications that don’t address the root cause
- Behavioral therapies that offer limited progress
- A mounting sense of confusion and frustration for parents
The Real Cause Often Goes Unrecognized
PANDAS and PANS are both forms of immune-mediated encephalopathy—a fancy way of saying that the immune system is causing inflammation in the brain. But many providers are simply not trained to recognize this connection. They don’t ask about recent infections, environmental exposures, or immune stress. As a result, children can suffer for years without a proper diagnosis.
At Restorative Medicine Center, Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal doesn’t stop at the surface. Her integrative functional medicine approach is built on uncovering how infections, toxins, and chronic stressors drive immune system dysfunction—and how that immune response can trigger changes in the brain and body.
Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal’s Approach to PANDAS/PANS
What sets Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal apart as a PANDAS/PANS specialist near Detroit is her deep commitment to understanding what’s actually driving your child’s symptoms. Her entire treatment model is built around the Root Cause Triad—a framework that examines how microbes, toxins, and chronic stress interact to create immune dysfunction and inflammation.
The Root Cause Triad: Microbes, Toxins, and Stress
Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal has found that nearly all chronic immune and inflammatory conditions—including PANDAS and PANS—stem from some combination of:
- Microbial infections (such as strep, Lyme, Bartonella, Mycoplasma)
- Toxic exposures (like mold, heavy metals, and environmental chemicals)
- Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation that keeps the body in fight-or-flight mode
When these factors converge, they can trigger a misfiring immune system that begins to attack the brain—causing the dramatic symptoms associated with PANDAS and PANS.
Precision Testing for a Clearer Picture
To uncover these hidden drivers, Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal uses comprehensive lab panels that go far beyond what’s typically offered in conventional medicine. These may include:
- CIRS biomarkers (like C4a, TGF-B1, MMP-9)
- Autoimmune panels to detect cross-reactive antibodies
- Immunoglobulin and cortisol testing
- Tick-borne disease and mycotoxin screening
Personalized, Targeted Treatment Plans
Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all protocol, Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal creates a tailored plan that may include:
- Antimicrobial support (both pharmaceutical and herbal, as needed)
- Immune modulation to calm autoimmune activity
- Detox strategies for mold and chemical exposure
- Nervous system regulation through gentle stress-reduction practices and nutritional support
She always works at a pace your child’s body can handle, guided by detailed symptom tracking and clinical response—because in complex cases like PANDAS/PANS, pushing too hard can backfire.
At every step, the focus remains clear: remove what’s driving the immune dysfunction and allow the brain to heal.
What to Expect During Evaluation
At Restorative Medicine Center, the evaluation process for PANDAS and PANS is intentionally thorough, compassionate, and individualized. Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal understands that no two children are alike—and neither are their root causes. That’s why she takes the time to look at the whole picture, not just a snapshot of symptoms.
Symptom and Treatment Timeline Review
One of the most powerful tools in this process is your child’s symptom and treatment timeline. Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal carefully reviews when symptoms started, how they’ve evolved, and what treatments (if any) have been tried. This timeline often reveals critical patterns—such as flare-ups after illness or regressions linked to environmental exposures—that help pinpoint the underlying causes.
Digging into the Triggers: Infections, Toxins, and Stress
The evaluation also includes a deep dive into your child’s history of:
- Infections (like strep, flu, ear infections, Lyme)
- Environmental exposures (mold, chemicals, allergens)
- Psychological or physiological stressors that could impact immune balance
This broader view helps uncover which elements of the Root Cause Triad may be at play in your child’s case.
Empowering Families Through Education
Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal believes that parents are the most important members of the care team. That’s why she prioritizes education and equips families with the tools they need to support healing at home—whether it’s guidance on detoxification, supplement timing, or how to respond to symptom flares.
Collaborative and Coordinated Care
When needed, Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal also collaborates with:
- Schools to help with accommodations or behavior plans
- Therapists to align emotional and neurological support
- Other specialists to ensure a cohesive and informed care team
This holistic, family-centered approach ensures that every aspect of your child’s life is considered in their healing journey.
Real Help, Real Healing
If your child is suffering from sudden emotional changes, OCD, tics, or unexplained regressions, please know this: there is hope. PANDAS and PANS are not life sentences. With the right diagnosis and root-cause-based treatment, children can—and do—heal.
The key is early, comprehensive intervention. Left unrecognized, these conditions can spiral into chronic dysfunction. But when caught and treated properly, many children experience profound improvements—regaining emotional balance, developmental progress, and peace in their daily lives.
At Restorative Medicine Center, Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal is committed to doing what others won’t—digging deeper. She stays calm in the face of complexity and walks with you step by step until the full picture becomes clear. No band-aids. No gimmicks. Just real answers, and real care.
Take the First Step Today
If you're looking for a PANDAS/PANS specialist near Detroit, we invite you to schedule a comprehensive evaluation at Restorative Medicine Center. Let’s uncover what your child truly needs to heal.
📍 Restorative Medicine Center
705 Barclay Cir #115, Rochester Hills, MI 48307
📞 248.289.6349 🌐 restorativemedcenter.com