How do I know if my child has MS?
Your child’s healthcare provider will take a careful medical history and will order tests that may include: A neurological exam. An MRI to check for lesions in the brain, spinal cord or optic nerves. A lumbar puncture to check the cerebral spinal fluid for antibodies and proteins associated with MS.
What does MS look like as a child?
MS Symptoms in Children The symptoms are similar to those in adults and may include: Problems with bladder or bowel control. Weakness. Problems with walking.
Can MS show up in children?
Pediatric MS is multiple sclerosis that begins in children or teens. About 98% have relapsing-remitting MS, versus 84% of adults with MS. This means that symptoms come and go (relapse and remit). When symptoms are gone, the disease is still able to progress.
What is the youngest age for MS?
The youngest age of onset of MS in the medical literature is 2 years but the majority of children are diagnosed in their early teens. In 3 to 5 percent of cases, MS onset is before age 16; an onset before 10 years of age is extremely uncommon, with a reported incidence of 0.2 to 0.7 percent.
What is the life expectancy of a child with MS?
Life expectancy and outlook for children and teens with MS. MS is a chronic and progressive disease, but it is not fatal and does not usually lower life expectancy. This is true no matter how old you are when it starts. Most children with MS eventually progress from relapsing-remitting type to irreversible disability.
Does MS show up on blood work?
While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including lupus erythematosis, Sjogren’s, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, some infections, and rare hereditary diseases.
Do you have MS from birth?
MS is not an inherited disease, meaning it is not a disease that is passed down from generation to generation. However, in MS there is genetic risk that may be inherited. In the general population, the risk of developing MS is about 1 in 750 – 1000.
Is MS treatable if caught early?
Starting treatment early generally provides the best chance at slowing the progression of MS. It reduces the inflammation and damage to the nerve cells that cause your disease to worsen. Early treatment with DMTs and other therapies for symptom management may also reduce pain and help you better manage your condition.
What conditions can mimic MS?
Conditions That Can Seem Like MS
- Epstein-Barr Virus.
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency.
- Diabetes.
- Nerve Damage.
- Eye Problems.
- Stroke.
- Lupus and Other Autoimmune Diseases.
- Parkinson’s Disease.
Where does MS usually start?
Here’s where MS (typically) starts Although a number of MS symptoms can appear early on, two stand out as occurring more often than others: Optic neuritis, or inflammation of the optic nerve, is usually the most common, Shoemaker says. You may experience eye pain, blurred vision and headache.
How do you rule out MS?
MRI multiple sclerosis lesions
- Blood tests, to help rule out other diseases with symptoms similar to MS .
- Spinal tap (lumbar puncture), in which a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid is removed from your spinal canal for laboratory analysis.
- MRI, which can reveal areas of MS (lesions) on your brain and spinal cord.
What can be mistaken for MS?