What do you know about paediatric multiple sclerosis? What is he like? What accompanying symptoms are there? What are the treatment options? Here are the most important details.
The following article contains all the information you need to know about juvenile sclerosis, also known as multiple sclerosis in children:
Multiple sclerosis in children
Three to five percent of people with multiple sclerosis are diagnosed before the age of 16, and less than one percent of children with childhood multiple sclerosis are diagnosed before the age of ten.
One of the illnesses brought on by the body's immune system attacking the myelin that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
As myelin is in charge of quickly and easily transmitting nerve signals between nerves, multiple sclerosis affects this substance, which slows down nerve signal transmission, which causes muscle weakness and a variety of sensory issues, including vision loss.
In terms of how the disease is typically diagnosed, multiple sclerosis in children and adults are different, but treatment options may be similar.
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis in children
Children who have multiple sclerosis can experience the same symptoms as adults, such as the following:
- general weakness
- Movement and walking problems.
- vision disturbances
- muscle spasm
- Tingling or numbness.
- body twitching
In addition to experiencing a severe lack of body energy, a child with multiple sclerosis may also be more likely to experience epileptic seizures than an adult.
Causes and risk factors for multiple sclerosis in children
There are some factors that may raise the risk of infection even though the precise cause of an infection may not be known. These include the following:
1. Family history
Despite the fact that multiple sclerosis is not considered a hereditary condition, a child has a greater chance of developing the condition if he carries a particular set of genes or if one of his parents or siblings also has the condition.
2. Vitamin D deficiency
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3. Epstein-Barr virus infection
One of the triggers for children to develop multiple sclerosis may be Epstein-Barr virus exposure. However, it must be taken into account that a child's infection with the virus does not mean the necessity of developing multiple sclerosis.
Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in children
Due to the symptoms of multiple sclerosis being similar to those of many common paediatric illnesses, such as clinical isolation syndrome, diagnosing it in children may be more challenging than diagnosing it in adults.
The following factors can aid in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis syndrome in children:
- the occurrence of two instances of inflammation in the central nervous system, as well as in various regions of the brain and spinal cord, with at least 30 days between each instance.
- a single encephalitis episode with MRI results suggesting multiple sclerosis
- When a child has a history of optic neuritis, slow nerve signal movement during an Evoked Potentials brainwave test may be an indication of the disease.
Treatment of multiple sclerosis in children
The treatment of multiple sclerosis in children may not differ from the methods of treating it in adults. The following medicines could be recommended for the affected child:
- The first option is interferon beta 1-alpha, also known as glatiramer acetate, but it has not received FDA approval.
- The Food and Drug Administration has granted oral fingolimod approval for use in children 10 years of age and older.
As Multiple Sclerosis is a lifelong condition that may be a source of anxiety and depression for those affected, medications that help control accompanying symptoms like pain and spasms should also be taken.