Nancy O'Hara MD, MPH, FAAP

Nancy O'Hara MD, MPH, FAAP Dr. Nancy O’Hara's functional medicine practice integrates the care of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and various chronic illnesses.

11/19/2025

New podcast episode is live!

F***l transplant only works if the donor is right—and the gut keeps it.
Today, Dr. Sabine Hazan explains why engraftment is the make-or-break step after f***l transplant. If you can’t verify engraftment—and if the child returns to a toxic environment (mold, poor air, contaminated products)—progress unravels.

We cover:

- How to think about donor selection (quality matters).

- Why environmental cleanup protects gains.

- How to measure what’s happening (don’t guess—verify).

For parents and practitioners working with PANS/PANDAS, autism, ADHD, and post-infectious flares, this conversation brings clarity and next steps.

👉 Watch now on the Demystifying PANS/PANDAS Podcast

11/18/2025

The gut isn’t a single “bad bug”—it’s a neighborhood. 🦠

In tomorrow’s episode, Dr. Sabine Hazan and I unpack why diversity, balance, and microbial friendships matter more than hunting one culprit. Some species help at one level and harm at another—the context is everything.

New podcast episode drops tomorrow, Demystifying PANS/PANDAS wherever you get your podcasts—stay tuned!

11/17/2025

Confused about acetaminophen—especially for kids or during pregnancy? You’re not alone.

Tonight at 5 PM ET, I’m hosting a members-only conversation with Dr. William Parker, a leading researcher on acetaminophen and neurodevelopment. We’ll walk through what recent peer-reviewed papers report and what that means for real-world decision-making.

What we’ll cover (evidence-focused):

- What current studies suggest about acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental risk (including Parker et al., 2023–2024).

- Susceptibility factors (genetics, cofactors, timing) that may raise risk—and how to think about them clinically.

- Practical frameworks for pain/fever management: where acetaminophen fits (or doesn’t), alternatives, and how to discuss options with your care team.

- Actionable steps for parents & clinicians: detox pathways (e.g., sulfation support), dosing pitfalls, and informed consent.

Who it’s for: parents, pediatric clinicians, and perinatal providers who want an evidence-informed, hype-free discussion.

👉 Join my Membership (link in bio) to attend live and access the recording anytime - plus ongoing monthly teachings, Q&As, and our full education library on PANS/PANDAS, BGE, Lyme, nutrition, and more.

If you’ve ever wondered “What does the science actually say?”—this session is for you.

11/14/2025

Books = dust = reservoirs.

For porous items like books, start with HEPA-vacuuming the edges and spines, then consider advanced steps. In some cases, a chlorine dioxide gas treatment (after HEPA/fogging/wet-wiping) can reach hidden pores and tight spaces fogs miss.

Remember: contents matter as much as walls. Clearing fine particles from belongings is what turns a “cleaned” home into a livable one.

Save & share with anyone tackling mold at home. Watch the full podcast, Demystifying PANS/PANDAS wherever you get your podcasts. 📚✨

11/13/2025

Don’t skip the “final exam” after remediation.

Post-remediation testing confirms the job is finished—so the remediator, not you, fixes misses. Think of it like a medical follow-up after a procedure: you verify healing before moving on.

Quick takeaways:

- Costs less than the initial inspection (you’re testing remediated areas)

- Creates accountability and prevents “mystery” regressions months later

- Gives you a baseline to keep the home healthy over time

Save this for your mold-remediation checklist and check out more at drohara.com.

11/12/2025

New Episode — The step everyone skips after mold remediation 🧼

You can remove the visible mold and still be exposed for years if you don’t clear the fine particles and mycotoxins left in dust and on belongings.

What you’ll learn in this episode with Meredith Pleiter:

- Why fine-particle cleaning (HEPA, wet-wiping, textiles, contents) is part of remediation—not an optional extra

- Where typical workflows break down (inspector → remediator → …no one “owns” the final cleaning)

- How to choose vacuums/filters and set realistic routines so exposure doesn’t linger for up to 10 years

- Budget-friendly wins: self-draining dehumidifiers, vents/rugs/cars/school fixes, and when fogging actually fits

Practical, clear, doable.

Check out the new episode of Demystifying PANS/PANDAS on your favorite platform! Link in bio

11/11/2025

New house does NOT mean mold-free.

Supply-chain wood sat wet for months during COVID, then went into “brand-new” builds—between walls, behind drywall, inside cabinets. Old homes can be clean; new homes can be contaminated. It’s about materials, moisture, and build quality, not the year built.

If your child has unexplained symptoms, don’t rule mold out just because the house is new.

Tomorrow on the podcast: environmental health coach Meredith Pleiter shares the 8 non-negotiables families need to stop mold from keeping kids sick.

👉 Episode drops tomorrow—save this and tune in to Demystifying PANS/PANDAS!

11/10/2025

Understanding PANS Recovery

Dr. Hinchey and I discuss the complex recovery process for PANS patients, emphasizing that healing is a highly individualized marathon that can take months to years depending on factors like duration of illness, dysautonomia, and individual health challenges.

Watch the full episode on LymeBytes! podcast and visit my website, drohara.com for more info on PANS/PANDAS, BGE, and more!

11/07/2025

When mitochondria run too hot.

Not all mitochondrial findings are low; in a subset of kids with autism, Dr. Frye’s lab work shows overactivity—cells running at ~2× typical levels. Different patterns call for different strategies, which is why careful assessment matters before choosing supports.

We unpack what this means for families and clinicians—and how to think through next steps—in the latest episode of the Demystifying PANS/PANDAS Podcast.

11/06/2025

Start with the foundation.

Before specialized protocols, many kids benefit from shoring up basics: not just B9/folinic acid and B12, but zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron/ferritin—nutrients our standard diets often lack. A solid base supports mitochondria and makes individualized “mito cocktails” more thoughtful and tolerable.

Revisit yesterday’s episode of Demystifying PANS/PANDAS for a practical sequence: foundation first, then targeted mitochondrial supports matched to the child’s needs. And learn more at drohara.com.

11/05/2025

Could folate be the missing key?

“Normal” labs are built for “typical” biology—but many of our kids’ systems are running like a race car. In today’s episode, Dr. Richard Frye explains how children can have normal serum folate yet still not meet the brain’s needs, especially when methylation/transsulfuration demand is high.

What we cover:

Why “insufficiency” (not low on paper, but not enough for demand) can affect brain function.

How to recognize patterns: regression, movement changes, tics, anxiety, seizures.

Practical tools to discuss with your clinician: folinic acid (leucovorin), looking for folate receptor alpha antibodies, and building a strong nutritional foundation before layering in mitochondrial support.

If you’re navigating autism, PANS/PANDAS, or neuroimmune symptoms and wondering whether folate belongs in the conversation, this episode offers a clear framework.

Be sure to check out the new episode of the Demystifying PANS/PANDAS Podcast!

11/04/2025

Cerebral folate deficiency: why it can look like autism and PANS/PANDAS

In tomorrow’s episode with child neurologist Dr. Richard Frye, we discuss how brain-level folate issues can show up as sudden regression, new movement patterns (tics/dystonia), epilepsy, and other neurologic signs—overlapping with what we see in autism and PANS/PANDAS.
If you’ve noticed abrupt changes or complex movement symptoms, this lens may help you ask sharper questions and consider next steps with your care team.

New podcast episode drops tomorrow!

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