THE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS of MS tend to be fairly easy to spot; a child who is experiencing pain or weakness or stiffness is likely to be able to describe it. The less visible a symptom is, the harder it may be for you to recognize or understand. The most common of these is fatigue. While fatigue in MS can result from a multitude of factors, including some medications and/or sleep disturbances caused by physical discomfort or urinary problems, the primary fatigue of MS - sometimes caused lassitude - is caused directly by the disease itself.
 |
| Early Symptoms Of MS In Children |
This fatigue can be overwhelming at times, and may not be relieved by rest or sleep. Fortunately, there are activities as well as medications that have been found to be helpful in managing this type of fatigue. Aerobic exercise and the use of appropriate mobility devices to conserve energy can be very helpful.
A child complaining of this type of fatigue is not being lazy or avoiding chores; MS fatigue is reported by many adults with MS to be their most debilitating symptom. It makes it very difficult for many adults to function in the workplace, and may interfere with your child's ability to participate fully at school, even if he or she has no visible physical symptoms. There are effective strategies for coping with MS-related fatigue; adjusting one's schedule, for example, so that the most demanding activities are done in the morning (when fatigue is typically less) is one of many that can be used to combat this symptom. Your physician or healthcare provider will be able to suggest additional strategies for dealing with MS fatigue.
Cognitive and emotional changes can also be difficult for children, as well as their parents and teachers, to recognize and understand. Cognitive changes are relatively common in MS. While there is some disagreement among clinicians about whether cognitive symptoms are more or less common in children than they are in adults, experience suggests that they can occur in childhood MS as well as in adults with the disease.
Studies indicate that approximately 50% of people with MS will experience some changes in their cognitive functions over the course of the disease, with the most commonly reported problems being with learning and memory, the processing of incoming information (attention and concentration), planning and decision-making, processing visual information, and understanding and using language. It is important to be aware of the possibility of these types of problems because they can occur at any point in the disease, even as an initial symptom. That means that cognitive and emotional changes can occur in a child who has a lot of physical changes or someone who has none.
These usually subtle changes can interfere with school performance. Some MS experts recommend that children have regular cognitive evaluations beginning at the time of diagnosis, in order to establish the child's baseline abilities and detect any problems that may crop up along the way. Early recognition of a child's problems with thinking or memory makes it possible for the school to address any special needs a child might have in the classroom.
Special accommodations, such as sitting at the front of the classroom for example, can help overcome limitations in attention that some children with MS may experience. A child with MS who is experiencing academic difficulties may benefit from an evaluation by a psychologist or neuropsychologist who can make the appropriate recommendations to the school for improving learning and attention.
Navigating the Healthcare System
ONE OF THE biggest challenges parents face is finding and accessing the best possible care for their child. MS is a relatively uncommon illness (approximately 400,000 people in the United States, compared to 9.6 million with cancer, for example, or 15,000,000 with diabetes) and MS in children is actually relatively rare. As a result, many - if not most - physicians and other health professionals, hospitals, and insurance companies may have no experience with youngsters with MS, and may not even know that early-onset MS is possible.
This means that at the same time you are educating yourself about MS, you are probably going to have to educate others as well. You will likely need to advocate for your child every step of the way. Arming yourself with information about the disease and available resources will be your very best strategy in this advocacy effort. To find out more, you can check out Early Symptoms Of MS In Children.