A to Z of MS Paediatric MS

Children with multiple sclerosis

In around 3-5% of all multiple sclerosis cases, the conditions starts in children under the age of 16. Children as young as two can develop MS but the majority develop the condition over the age of ten. Occasionally individuals diagnosed as adults may trace their symptoms back to childhood.

Multiple sclerosis in children is exceptionally difficult to diagnose; the most common alternative condition is ADEM (acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis), which has similar symptoms to MS. A series of MRI scans may be needed to distinguish between the two.

Over the age of ten, more girls than boys are likely to be affected by childhood MS. Under the age of ten, the gender ratio is roughly equal for those developing the condition.

Relapsing remitting MS is the most common form of MS in children. Progressive forms of MS can develop but these are rare.

Children with relapsing remitting MS may be treated with disease modifying drug treatments such as beta interferon and glatiramer acetate, although, in common with other drugs not tested in children, these need to be prescribed off-licence by individual neurologists.

Children with MS may be treated by paediatric neurologists and by paediatric neurology nurse specialists, or they may be seen in an adult neurology clinic. There are not many paediatric neurologists, and even fewer who specialise in multiple sclerosis. Therefore children with MS may need to travel to specialist children's hospitals, which can be some distance away, for their appointments.

There has been an explosion of research into MS in children in the last five years, but this is still catching up with research into MS in adults. A new study, the Paediatric UK demyelinating disease longitudinal study (PUDDLS), started in 2011 and will last five years, looking at the natural history, predictors and outcomes of MS and similar conditions occurring in childhood. This should give a better idea of who gets MS in childhood and possibly why, what the initial symptoms tend to be, and how the condition changes over time.

Useful links for children and teenagers who have MS

• Young People with MS - Canadian MS Society
• American National Pediatric MS Center
• Keep S'myelin - National MS Society (USA)
• Young MS - MS Society

For more information about ADEM see the Encephalitis Society website

References

Compston A, et al.
McAlpine's multiple sclerosis. 4th ed.
London: Churchill Livingstone; 2006

Ghezzi A, et al.
The management of multiple sclerosis in children: a European view.
Multiple Sclerosis 2010;16(10):1258-1267.
abstract

Absoud M et al.
Paediatric UK demyelinating disease longitudinal study (PUDDLS) .
BMC Pediatrics 2011;11:68.
read online

Return to index