WHEREAS, Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndromes (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) are serious inflammatory brain conditions caused by a misdirected immune response; and

WHEREAS, children with PANS and PANDAS generally experience the onset of multiple symptoms, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, tics, restricted eating, emotional lability, depression, anxiety, aggression, oppositional behaviors, behavioral regression, deterioration in handwriting, loss of math skills, sensory or motor abnormalities, sleep disturbances, enuresis, and urinary frequency, which can cause severe physical and emotional distress; and

WHEREAS, no large-scale epidemiological study has established the overall incidence and prevalence of PANS or PANDAS; and

WHEREAS, prompt treatment may include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, steroids, or other immunomodulatory therapies; and

WHEREAS, a lack of awareness can lead to delayed or incorrect diagnosis of children with PANS or PANDAS, potentially resulting in progressive, debilitating, and irreversible neurological harm; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly extended the Advisory Council on PANS and PANDAS through 2028; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly enacted legislation in 2025 requiring Medicaid and private insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of PANS and PANDAS; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia joins in the cause to increase awareness, support quicker and more accurate diagnoses, and encourage greater support for all children and families affected by PANS and PANDAS across Virginia;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize October 9, 2025, as PANS/PANDAS AWARENESS DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.