What You Need To Know About Multiple Sclerosis In Children

Preventing MS Attacks

Although corticosteroids do not prevent attacks, they often interrupt and shorten the length of the attack. Intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange can reduce the number of attacks and stop the disease from getting worse. Three different FDA-approved medications are often used to prevent MS relapses and slow down the progression of the disease in adults. These medications have not yet been approved for use with children; however, it is common practice for doctors to prescribe them off-label to child MS patients. The names of the medications are glatiramer acetate, interferon beta-1a, and interferon beta-1b. These medications need to be injected either by the child or teenager or by the parents if the child is too young. Studies have shown that these medications are safe and effective for kids with MS.

Treating MS Symptoms

There are additional medications doctors can prescribe to treat other MS symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy are also effective treatments to relieve numbness, tingling, and muscle stiffness. For children dealing with depression and anxiety as a result of MS, counselling is often offered to them. There are also many potential side effects and risks of taking MS medications with interferons, such as fever, chills, muscle aches, and headaches, which often occur after receiving the injection. These symptoms can be eased by lowering the dosage of the medication initially and increasing it over time. Although there is no cure for MS yet, it is not fatal and most people with MS will go on to live long, independent lives.