Know Multiple Sclerosis

I read this article recently about kids with multiple sclerosis. I didn't realize children could develop the disease. The University of California San Francisco has a well-known multiple sclerosis center which has been studying children with the disease. It's thought that there are probably many cases of this, but most go undetected as they are dismissed by the parents or doctors who don't consider MS to be a childhood disease.

I would imagine their youth would be an asset, as young people tend to recover more quickly and are generally more healthy than adults. Of course, that would be balanced with the fact that they developed the disease very early in life, so they have many more years to deal with the disease.

In the article, a 12 year old girl mentions how she's getting used to the medication even though it hurts. For all those out there afraid to start treatment because of needles: Look at this brave little girl who's taking her shots and, in doing so, some control over her life. She's an inspiration.

Here's some more information about pediatric MS from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.