Episode 562: Pediatric Lyme, Autism Regression, PANS/PANDAS & Root-Cause Healing | Dr. Somer DelSignore

8 hours ago

In this powerful in-person interview at the Tick Boot Camp studio, Matt Sabatello sits down with Dr. Somer DelSignore, DNP, a board-certified pediatric practitioner specializing in Lyme disease, tick-borne co-infections, PANS/PANDAS, autoimmune and neuroimmune disorders, autism-like regression, and congenital tick-borne illness.

This episode is essential listening for parents who have been told to “wait and see,” families who have seen multiple specialists without answers, and anyone trying to understand how infection, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and nervous system imbalance can impact a child’s brain and development.

🎙 About Dr. Somer DelSignore

Dr. DelSignore began her career in traditional pediatric medicine before recognizing that many children with complex chronic illness could not be properly treated in 10–15 minute appointments.

Her clinical evolution accelerated after:

Training with Dr. Richard Horowitz (tick-borne disease complexity and layered treatment strategies)
Training with Dr. Kenneth Bock (autism and autoimmune encephalopathy patterns)
Identifying the infectious and immune triggers driving neuropsychiatric symptoms

Today, she runs a private practice in upstate New York where she treats children (and a small cohort of adults) using a comprehensive, root-cause framework.

🧠 Autism, Lyme & Autoimmunity — Connecting the Dots

Dr. DelSignore explains that autism is often a cluster of symptoms, not a single-gene condition. In her clinical experience, many children experience immune-triggered neuroinflammation that presents as:

OCD
Anxiety
Rage
Intrusive thoughts
Impulsivity
Hallucinations
Developmental regression

Lyme and co-infections such as Bartonella and Babesia can activate autoimmune responses that interfere with neurotransmitter signaling. When inflammation blocks receptors for dopamine and serotonin, psychiatric symptoms emerge.

Her message is clear:These symptoms are often biomedical — not simply behavioral.

🦠 Why “Root Cause” Is Rarely One Thing

Healing rarely comes down to one pathogen.

Children may present with overlapping contributors such as:

Lyme disease and co-infections
Mold and mycotoxins
Heavy metals
Epigenetic pathway dysfunction
Detox impairment
Nervous system dysregulation

Dr. DelSignore emphasizes layered pattern recognition and systematic evaluation rather than single-diagnosis thinking.

🧬 Treatment Approach: Layered, Sequenced & Individualized

There is no cookie-cutter protocol.

Her framework may include:

Targeted antibiotic combinations
Herbal antimicrobials
Biofilm and fibrin support
Gut protection from day one
Detox support (liver, kidney, lymphatic)
Ozone therapy
SOT (gene-silencing therapy)
IVIG for autoimmune modulation (when appropriate)
Plasmapheresis referral
Regenerative PRP strategies

Sequencing matters. Some children require detox and nervous system stabilization before antimicrobial treatment begins.

🧱 Biofilms & Tissue Infection

Dr. DelSignore confirms:

Biofilms are real and clinically significant
Microbes communicate and protect one another
Chronic infections often reside in tissue, not just blood
Killing pathogens without detox support can worsen flares

Her philosophy:Eliminate pathogens while simultaneously rebuilding the body.

🌿 Detox, Regeneration & the Nervous System

Pathogen elimination is only part of recovery.

Healing also requires:

Supporting liver and kidney detox pathways
Encouraging lymphatic flow
Gentle sauna when tolerated
Epsom salt baths
Breathwork and box breathing
Vagus nerve stimulation
Nervous system retraining

Many children are stuck in chronic sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) mode. True recovery requires shifting into parasympathetic “rest and repair.”

❤️ A Story of Hope

Dr. DelSignore shares the case of a child born with congenital tick-borne infections who:

Was non-verbal
Required feeding tube support
Was diagnosed with autism

After comprehensive treatment and immune regulation, the child:

Became verbal
Engaged socially
Reached developmental milestones
Thrives in school

It’s a reminder that recovery is possible—even in severe presentations.

🏥 The Care Coordination Challenge

Families often see 10–15 specialists before reaching her office.

Dr. DelSignore stresses the importance of:

A “medical home”
One lead clinician acting as quarterback
Coordinated communication among providers

She also discusses the urgent need for legislative and insurance reform to support time-intensive chronic illness care.

🌎 Looking Forward

Dr. DelSignore hopes for:

Increased research funding
Broader recognition of infection-driven neuroinflammation
Earlier pediatric intervention
A shift toward prevention and health-promotion medicine

Her belief: When properly supported, the body can heal.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Trust parental intuition
Neuropsychiatric symptoms may be immune-driven
Detox and gut health are foundational
Nervous system regulation is critical
Healing is possible—even in complex cases