Press Release

MS Society event highlights childhood MS

5 November 2007

THE MS Society will shine the spotlight on multiple sclerosis (MS) in children next week when it brings together professionals in paediatric MS and affected families to a groundbreaking event in London on 7 November.

Awareness of MS in children - who have been known to show symptoms at just 13 months old - is very low and the lack of a proper diagnosis may lead to poor care.

This lack of understanding has led to children being treated on adult wards, misdiagnosis, delays in treatment and confusion for worried parents.

Jayne Spink, director of policy and research at the MS Society, said: “This event will help to let people know that there are potentially thousands of children living with MS whose symptoms are not being recognised. Without better awareness of childhood MS these children could face years of care that fails to meet their needs, while their families are left in limbo.

“In MS, early treatment improves your long-term prospects. It is vital that children with MS are not left out in the cold.”

The MS Society hopes to influence policy makers and professionals to take a closer look at the condition in children and examine the care currently on offer.

Jayne added: “In some areas the care available is excellent, but we want every child facing a diagnosis of MS to receive the best possible care and support. The simple fact is that at the moment we cannot accurately say how many children are affected by MS.”

Current knowledge and research into the number of children affected by the condition is severely lacking, but studies so far suggest that onset of MS occurs before the age of 16 in 0.4 to 10.5 per cent of cases, which could be anything up to 9,000 people in the UK.

Typically, MS is diagnosed in adults aged between 20 and 40 and women are three times more likely to be diagnosed than men.

Opening the event, Dr Mike Pike, Chair of the British Paediatric Neurology Association, will outline the severity of the situation.

more
He said: “MS is a condition well recognised in adults and by those professionals who treat adults. However it is a condition which may also start in childhood - and sometimes in very young children.

 “The diagnosis of MS in childhood is made less frequently and less often than it should be. In consequence, a great deal less information is available to children, young people, parents and professionals about MS in this age group.

“Children, families and professionals involved with childhood MS urgently need more information about its presentation, natural history, treatment and prognosis and the MS Society is to be congratulated for taking up this challenge.”

At the event, Dr Marc Tardieu, Professor of Paediatrics, Head of Paediatric Neurology Unit at Le Kremlin Bicêtre in France will discuss early prognosis and treatment.

Dr Evangeline Wassmer from the Department of Paediatric Neurology at Birmingham Children's Hospital will examine current Paediatric neurology services and Dr Anita Rose, Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist with the MS Team at the Walton Centre of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool will look at the psychological impact of childhood MS.

The event will be held at Chandos House, 2 Queen Anne Street, London W1G 9LQ and registration is at 10.15am.

• Copyright 2008 Dod's Parliamentary Communications Ltd
• About ePolitix.com
• Stakeholders
• Contacts
• Terms & Conditions
• Blog guidelines