A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Care of a Child with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and demyelization within the central nervous system.  MS is a lifelong condition associated with many physical and emotional disabilities.  Once thought to be a condition with onset in adulthood, new diagnostic criteria have increased the recognition of this condition in children and adolescents.  It is estimated that 5% of people with MS will be diagnosed before the age of 18.  Nurses suddenly find themselves caring for a population of children that we have limited experience with.    

Objectives:  Children and adolescents diagnosed with MS face a unique set of challenges.

Methods: A multidisciplinary clinic has been implemented at our institution to help address some of the management issues of caring for a child with MS.

Results: BCH Team includes:  Pediatric Neurologist, Pediatric Neurology Fellow, Primary Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Neuropsychologist, Education Specialist, Primary Psychologist, Social Worker, Resource Specialist, Trained teenage patients diagnosed with MS for more than one year, and Parent who serves as a peer contact for newly diagnosed patients and their parents, thus providing a unique patient and family perspective.

Conclusions: Children and adolescents with MS face an uncertain future as their disease course is always unpredictable and often both physically and emotionally debilitating.  A multidisciplinary team approach has been successful in optimizing the day to day functioning of this population of children.