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PANDAS Specialist for Chicago & Chicagoland Families
When a child changes almost overnight, with sudden anxiety, obsessive thoughts, tics, or rage, Chicago-area families often struggle to find a clinician with real PANS and PANDAS experience close to home. There is a dedicated clinic about a two-hour drive away, in Culver, Indiana.
At the PANS/PANDAS Clinic at Culver Pediatrics Center, board-certified pediatrician Dr. Noemi Adame provides specialized, PPN-aligned PANS/PANDAS care. Chicagoland families are seen in person at our Indiana clinic, and a doctor-to-doctor virtual consultation is available wherever you live.
What are PANS and PANDAS?
Understanding the diagnosis is the first step toward getting your child the right help.
PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and its strep-linked subtype PANDAS describe a sudden, dramatic onset of obsessive-compulsive behaviors, tics, anxiety, restricted eating, irritability, or trouble with schoolwork, often following an infection. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms can appear within days and tend to follow a relapsing and remitting course. The leading explanation is a neuroimmune one: in susceptible children, the immune response after an infection appears to contribute to inflammation that affects the brain.
There is no single blood test that confirms PANS or PANDAS. As the PANDAS Physicians Network describes, diagnosis is clinical, built from the full picture of how and when symptoms began. That is why an experienced clinician matters.
Two ways Chicagoland families get care
Whether you can travel or prefer to stay local, there is a path forward.
In person at our Indiana clinic
Culver, Indiana is about a two-hour drive from much of the Chicago area. Many families make the trip for an evaluation and key visits, then handle much of the follow-up virtually. Families travel from as far as California to work with our team.
Doctor-to-doctor virtual consultation
If you prefer to stay in Illinois, Dr. Adame offers a virtual consultation in which she reviews your child's records and gives your local physician a written plan to implement. This model is available wherever you live and keeps your local doctor in charge of day-to-day care.
In-person treatment is provided at the Indiana clinic. The virtual consultation supports your child's existing Illinois physician and is not a substitute for in-person care.
Our treatment approach
Personalized, evidence-informed, and aligned with PANDAS Physicians Network guidance.
Comprehensive evaluation
- Thorough review of prior records, testing, and lab work
- Detailed PANS/PANDAS intake questionnaire
- Personalized diagnostic work-up for infectious, immune, and other contributing factors
Individualized treatment
- Medical options may include antibiotics, IVIG, anti-inflammatories, LDN, leucovorin, and supplement guidance, decided case by case
- Holistic, non-pharmaceutical support
- Frequent follow-ups and goal setting, with a focus on long-term healing
Treatment is always individualized. The therapies listed describe options a clinician may consider, not a promise of any specific treatment or outcome.
Why families choose Dr. Adame
Specialized expertise
Dr. Noemi Adame is a board-certified pediatrician with more than 20 years of experience who leads a dedicated PANS/PANDAS clinic. Her approach blends evidence-based Western medicine with whole-child, holistic care, a philosophy the practice calls "Veggies Over Pills."
Concierge, membership-based care
As a Direct Primary Care practice, we do not bill insurance. Instead, a flat membership lets us offer comprehensive PANS/PANDAS services, longer visits, and direct access to the care team, accountable to your family rather than an insurance company.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a PANDAS doctor near Chicago?
Culver Pediatrics Center runs a dedicated PANS/PANDAS clinic about a two-hour drive from much of the Chicago area, in Culver, Indiana. Chicagoland families are seen in person at the Indiana clinic, and a doctor-to-doctor virtual consultation is available nationwide.
Can you help if we live in Illinois?
Yes. In-person care is provided at our Indiana clinic. For families who prefer to stay local, Dr. Adame offers a doctor-to-doctor virtual consultation that gives your child's Illinois physician a written plan to implement.
Can Dr. Adame order IVIG for children who live in Illinois?
In many cases, yes, if the IVIG is given at an infusion center. It also depends on your insurance and the infusion company, and every IVIG order needs insurance prior authorization first. Dr. Adame is licensed in Indiana and Ohio (Illinois is next on her list) and has had IVIG approved for Illinois patients at infusion centers. IVIG at home (home health) is different: the nursing orders must come from a doctor licensed in Illinois, so home-health IVIG in Illinois is not possible through Dr. Adame for now. Families from any state can also receive IVIG ordered by Dr. Adame at an infusion center in Indiana or Ohio.
How far is the clinic from Chicago?
The clinic is in Culver, Indiana, roughly a two-hour drive from much of the Chicago area.
What does PANS/PANDAS treatment involve?
Care is individualized. Aligned with PANDAS Physicians Network guidance, it may combine addressing infection, calming the immune and inflammatory response when appropriate, and supporting symptoms, alongside holistic support. Specific therapies are chosen case by case.
Do you accept insurance?
The practice uses a Direct Primary Care membership model rather than billing insurance. This allows longer appointments and more time to focus on your child's case. Pricing is listed on our PANS/PANDAS Clinic page.
Take the first step for your child
Watch our free recorded Info Session with Dr. Adame to learn how the PANS/PANDAS Clinic works and whether it is the right fit for your Chicago-area family.
Watch the PANS/PANDAS Info SessionAreas We Serve
PANS/PANDAS Treatment in Ohio · PANDAS Care in Chicago · PANS/PANDAS Clinic (Culver, IN)
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We are committed to providing compassionate, confidential, and effective primary health care for individuals and families. Whether you're seeking treatment, assessment, or wellness support.
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