NEW YORK, NY... 'Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders' has just been published by the International Pediatric MS Study Group as a supplement to the journal Neurology. The Group was founded by the National MS Society (USA) to foster global cooperation in studying and addressing the challenges associated with what is generally thought of as an adult neurological disease when it occurs in a non-adult population. It is estimated that there are at least 8,000 – 10,000 children who have MS and another 10,000-15,000 who have experienced what may be symptoms of MS.
The compendium that offers nine peer-reviewed papers describes the current state of clinical care, research and knowledge related to pediatric MS and lays out research and clinical directions for the future. Until recently, there was little attention or understanding about the occurrence of MS in children and its management.
The compendium of papers (Neurology 2007; 68 {Suppl 2} http://www.neurology.org/content/vol68/16_suppl_2/#PREFACE) includes the first proposed consensus definitions for pediatric MS and related disorders. It also reviews published research on topics such as the use of MRI brain scans in diagnosis, and the psychosocial impacts of MS including issues related to school, social milestones and family life.
In adults, MS can cause variable symptoms including fatigue, tingling sensations, and movement, vision and memory problems that can come and go or worsen. In children, these and other symptoms can have profound effects on schoolwork, relationships with peers and family dynamics – especially if the disease goes undiagnosed.
"Traditionally, pediatricians and neurologists have largely overlooked MS as a possible diagnosis in children, and caring for these children holds distinct challenges," stated Deborah Hertz, MPH, Associate Vice President of Medical Programs at the National MS Society, who co-edited the supplement. "These global efforts to standardize how we diagnose, treat and gather data on children with MS will ultimately enable us to tackle big research questions, such as what factors trigger MS," she added.
The National MS Society established the International Pediatric MS Study Group to enhance understanding of the care of children and adolescents with pediatric MS and to foster international collaborative research. Subsequent to the development of this supplement, the study group has expanded to include investigators in more than 10 countries and with additional sponsorship from the MS Societies of Canada and Italy and the MS International Federation. An adjunct to these international efforts to better address the needs of children with MS and their families is the Society's recent establishment of six U.S. Pediatric MS Centers of Excellence, where children with MS and related disorders can go for proper diagnosis and care, including support social services, family programs and information for teachers (www.nationalmssociety.org/PediatricMS).
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS through our 50 state network of chapters. We fund more MS research, provide more services to people with MS, offer more professional education and further more advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. We are people who want to do something about MS now. Join the movement at nationalmssociety.org.
Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with MS. Talk to your health care professional and contact the National MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-344-4867 to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.
Journal
Neurology