Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the myelin sheath, the protective covering surrounding nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, is damaged. While a majority of the 400,000 cases of MS in the United States are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, approximately 8,000 to 10,000 children are affected by this progressive disease.
Read on to learn more about the symptoms of multiple sclerosis that may manifest in children.
Symptoms
In general, MS symptoms in children are similar to those in adults. For most patients under the age of 18, the MS diagnosis is made after a period of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a group of nervous system-related symptoms that can include coma, headache, delirium, seizures, stiff neck, fever, and coma. While these symptoms usually dissipate after a few weeks, children with persistent symptoms often have MS.
In addition to the ADEM-related symptoms, children with MS have varied and often disparate symptoms, as do adults with the illness. These can include urinary incontinence, muscle weakness and spasms, sensory issues such as tingling or numbness, difficulty with mobility, and tremors. Children who are diagnosed may also experience seizures and lethargy, symptoms which are not typical in adults with MS.
Diagnosis
Because MS is so rare in children, and because they may have difficulty describing neurological symptoms, pediatric MS can be difficult to diagnose. While there is no cure for MS, experts believe that the disease progresses more slowly in those who are diagnosed as children. However, children more often experience symptom relapses even with treatment, and may be more severely disabled at an earlier age than people who are diagnosed as adults.
Treatment
Children who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis should be treated by a multidisciplinary team of specialists who can help the patient and his or her family manage symptoms through a holistic approach. Corticosteroids, medications which reduce inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, are often used in children to treat MS flare-ups. While the FDA has approved 10 disease-modifying medications for use in adults with MS, use of these prescriptions for children has not been extensively tested, although they may be used if other therapies are not effective.
If your child has been diagnosed with MS, help is available. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has established six nationwide pediatric centers to focus on research and treatment of pediatric MS. To learn more, visit NationalMSSociety.org.
