Beginner’s Guide to MS: The Impact of MS on Your Children

My kids were teens when I was diagnosed. They took it all in stride, as they do most things. The older they get, the more curious they seem to be, especially my daughter.

Had they been younger, I believe that it would have been a greater issue. Young children spend a great deal of time with their mother, and her physical state would have a much greater impact on them.

I'm not one to believe in keeping something like MS from the children. Straight forward information is best, so they can learn to accept and deal with it from the start, rather than wonder about the elephant in the room.

Great post, Lisa.

Lisa:

Thank you for following up my post with such great resources! I wasn't aware of all those materials and you are wonderful to do the digging for everyone else. Your posts are very much appreciated.

- Julie

Great post Lisa!

My children are 5 1/2 years, 3 years, 1 1/2 years, and 5 1/2 months. I was just diagnosed this past fall. My symptoms aren't too bad, but my husband and I agreed to tell the children now rather than wait so that it would just be normal to them as they grow and not anything fearful. My youngest 2 are much too young to understand of course, but for the older 2 I sat down with them and explained it in as simple terms as I possibly could.

Also, the National MS Society has a really wonderful DVD cartoon for children called "Timmy's Journey" about a little boy who's father has MS. My 3 older children really loved it.

Sometimes I'll be more tired than usual (good old MS fatigue) and my oldest daughter (the 5 1/2 year old) will ask if I'm feeling sick again (she knows I'll always be sick but sometimes I'll feel better than other times). On those days she tries to help me as much as she can and get her sister (the 3 year old) and brother (the 1 1/2 year old) to help as well. It's so amazing to me how much they try to help out even though they are so very young. And I have to admit that those are the times that I ask them to pick up their toys and it works!  Usually they hate picking up their toys but they do it to make me feel better and it does cheer me up.

Sorry I wandered off subject a bit. Anyways, I definately think it is best to be open about it from the beginning for their sake as well as your own because they'll want to help you as much as possible, which in turn can lower your stress level so much.