Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that attacks the central nervous system, including the spinal chord, optic nerves, and brain. MS most frequently occurs in adults, but it can also be diagnosed in children and teens. It is estimated that at least 8,000 children in the United States have multiple sclerosis, but pediatric MS is more difficult to diagnose due to the common occurrence of other childhood disorders with similar symptoms. Up to five percent of people diagnosed with MS have a history of symptoms before age 18. Initial symptoms have been documented in children as early as 13 months old. Some symptoms that could be suggestive of MS include: Fatigue Numbness or tingling Visual blurring or double vision Bladder and/or bowel dysfunction Difficulty walking Balance and coordination problems Dizziness and vertigo Emotional changes Depression Spasticity Pain In children, seizures and changes in mental status (such as lethargy) are more common than in adults. Building awareness of possible symptoms of MS is important, as many pediatricians may not be familiar with the disease since it is so rarely encountered in children. Diagnosing MS in anyone is not easy because there is no single test and no standard set of symptoms. Doctors must find evidence of two episodes of MS activity in the patient's central nervous system, and both must have occurred at different times in order for a diagnosis to be made. Multiple sclerosis is especially difficult to pinpoint because the doctor must rule out...

Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is hard to diagnose due to overlapping symptoms with other childhood disorders, but awareness is growing.

Diagnosing Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that attacks the central nervous system, including the spinal chord, optic nerves, and brain. MS most frequently occurs in adults, but it can also be diagnosed in children and teens. It is estimated that at least 8,000 children in the United States have multiple sclerosis, but pediatric MS is more difficult to diagnose due to the common occurrence of other childhood disorders with similar symptoms.  Up to five percent of people diagnosed with MS have a history of symptoms before age 18. Initial symptoms have been documented in children as early as 13 months old. Some symptoms that could be suggestive of MS include:  Fatigue Numbness or tingling Visual blurring or double vision Bladder and/or bowel dysfunction Difficulty walking Balance and coordination problems Dizziness and vertigo Emotional changes Depression Spasticity Pain  In children, seizures and changes in mental status (such as lethargy) are more common than in adults. Building awareness of possible symptoms of MS is important, as many pediatricians may not be familiar with the disease since it is so rarely encountered in children. Diagnosing MS in anyone is not easy because there is no single test and no standard set of symptoms. Doctors must find evidence of two episodes of MS activity in the patient's central nervous system, and both must have occurred at different times in order for a diagnosis to be made. Multiple sclerosis is especially difficult to pinpoint because the doctor must rule out...

Four years ago, Ruby Dee Philippa was riding her scooter down the road in Austin, TX. She was a singer. Her band, Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers, was just about to release a new album. She was careful on her ride. She wore a motorcycle jacket, hefty pants, and a full helmet. Ruby tells the story: "I was driving down the street, and the driver of a car didn't see me. I'm guessing–the more I try to piece it together, you know, years down the road–I think that they were backing out of their driveway and they didn't see me." Ruby swerved to avoid being hit by the car. Her scooter hit a pothole in the street, and it went wheels over in. "The scooter was fine. I landed on my head and woke up five hours later in the hospital," she says. Luckily, a doctor had been in the car behind Ruby. "She saw me swerve, hit the hole and go flying," Ruby recalls. "She pulled over and knew what to do. She had a blanket, cleared my airways, because I bit through my tongue. I would have choked on my own blood." At the hospital, the doctors had to keep repeating things to Ruby: "You've been in an accident. You've had a head injury. You're going to be fine." Her then-boyfriend (now husband) picked her up and took her home. Ruby suffered from intense vertigo, splitting headaches, and was having a difficult time focusing or putting...

Ruby Dee, a singer and businesswoman, overcame a brain injury from a scooter accident by writing a cookbook, aiding her cognitive recovery.

Ruby Dee Overcomes Brain Injury with Cookbook

Four years ago, Ruby Dee Philippa was riding her scooter down the road in Austin, TX. She was a singer. Her band, Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers, was just about to release a new album. She was careful on her ride. She wore a motorcycle jacket, hefty pants, and a full helmet. Ruby tells the story: "I was driving down the street, and the driver of a car didn't see me. I'm guessing–the more I try to piece it together, you know, years down the road–I think that they were backing out of their driveway and they didn't see me." Ruby swerved to avoid being hit by the car. Her scooter hit a pothole in the street, and it went wheels over in. "The scooter was fine. I landed on my head and woke up five hours later in the hospital," she says.  Luckily, a doctor had been in the car behind Ruby. "She saw me swerve, hit the hole and go flying," Ruby recalls. "She pulled over and knew what to do. She had a blanket, cleared my airways, because I bit through my tongue. I would have choked on my own blood."  At the hospital, the doctors had to keep repeating things to Ruby: "You've been in an accident. You've had a head injury. You're going to be fine." Her then-boyfriend (now husband) picked her up and took her home. Ruby suffered from intense vertigo, splitting headaches, and was having a difficult time focusing or putting...

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Special Needs
Articles

Diagnosing Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis

Ruby Dee Overcomes Brain Injury with Cookbook

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Special Needs Articles

Diagnosing Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis

Ruby Dee Overcomes Brain Injury with Cookbook

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles