School closures, masking, and fear left scars. Here's how to rebuild resilience. In this episode of Demystifying PANS/PANDAS, Dr. Elizabeth Mumper joins us to unpack what COVID taught us about children’s health—what worked, what harmed, and how to do better next time. She connects school closures, masking, and fear with developmental and mental health fallout, then ties the virus to neuroinflammation, viral reactivation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and practical ways families can restore resilience.
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Did the lockdowns do more damage to our kids than the virus? In this episode of Demystifying PANS/PANDAS, Dr. Elizabeth Mumper reveals how fear-driven lockdowns and masking policies may have harmed kids more than helped, disrupting emotional growth, learning, and safety nets. She contrasts this with other countries’ child-centered models and exposes how misclassified hospital data exaggerated children’s risk, fueling unnecessary fear.
Dr. Mumper then connects the dots between the virus and PANS/PANDAS, exploring how spike proteins, viral reactivation, and mitochondrial stress can ignite brain inflammation and mood shifts. From the gut-brain connection to the power of vitamins, oxygen, and parental intuition, she lays out a hopeful roadmap: support the mitochondria, question the narrative, and trust your instincts to protect your child’s future.
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Dr. Elizabeth Mumper is the President and CEO of The Rimland Center, where she mentors clinicians dedicated to helping children with neurodevelopmental challenges. She leads two pediatric practices—Advocates for Children, a general pediatrics practice, and Advocates for Families, which focuses on children with autism and related disorders.
A magna cum laude graduate of Bridgewater College, Dr. Mumper earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Virginia, where she later served as Chief Resident. Her decades-long career includes roles as Director of Pediatric Education for the Lynchburg Family Practice Residency Program, clinical faculty at UVA, and Medical Director of the Autism Research Institute. She currently teaches for MAPS (Medical Academy for Pediatric Special Needs) and Intersect for Kids and serves on the Medical Advisory Board for TACA (Talk About Curing Autism).
Widely recognized for her contributions to pediatric medicine, she has received numerous awards, including Miracle Maker of Central Virginia, Woman of the Year in Health and Sciences, and multiple Inspiring Change Awards from the MINDD Foundation. A respected author and international lecturer, she continues to advance functional and integrative approaches to pediatric care, inspiring clinicians and families across the globe.
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Elizabeth Mumper, MD, IFMCP, FMAPS
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-mumper-b143022a
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Nancy O’Hara, MD, MPH, FAAP, FMAPS
Website: https://www.drohara.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drnancyohara/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhoharamd/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-o-hara-md-mph-faap-390781258/
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