For children with MS

Are you under 12 and diagnosed with MS? Or maybe you are worried that you might have multiple sclerosis.

More and more children are being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), or are worried that they may have MS, so you are not the only one. It can be good to chat about your worries and how you feel about MS especially if you feel stressed or sad. Find someone who is easy to talk to, who you like and trust and who will listen to what you say. It could be someone in your family, a friend, teacher, doctor or nurse. Talking about your feelings is the best way to get help for your worries.

• There's a lot of help around so if you need a bit of help, or want something explained, it's a good idea to ask.
• MS symptoms can be very up and down so if today is a bad day with your MS then tomorrow might be a good day.
• Sometimes it can help your MS if you do things a bit differently. You might go to the park but sit on a bench some of the time before getting up and playing again.
• Did you know that some other children have health problems too? They might have asthma, diabetes or be allergic to peanuts. Perhaps they use an inhaler or take pills, sometimes go to hospital and miss school. Maybe they can't do all the things they want to - like eating all their favourite foods and being outside all day. Do you know anyone like this? It's not the same as having MS but maybe you can understand a bit about what it's like for them. They might understand some things about your MS.
• Try not to worry too much. If you have worries, tell someone and see what can be done to help you.

You probably have lots of questions and these guides can help you learn more. You can read them now or wait until it’s a better time. You might like to look at them with your family so you can chat about what you’ve read.

• Digesting science - tells you about multiple sclerosis (MS) in a simple, fun way. It's interactive and was made specifically for young people.
• Kooth - join Kooth here if you have worries about MS. It's a free, confidential and anonymous online chat zone for 11 to 19 year olds. You can ask a qualified counsellor or compare experiences with other young people