MS resources for young people
Multiple sclerosis is rare in children. In the UK around 250 people under 18 are affected. However, many thousands of young people have friends, parents or other family members with MS.
We've gathered together resources written for children and young people to explore themselves or share with a parent, teacher or friend. Although this is a broad audience, covering young children right up to teenagers, we hope that you will find something here to help you learn more about MS and explain it to other people. We have also listed resources that might be helpful to you in managing your feelings about the impact of MS in childhood.
You can also use the A-Z of MS on this website to find more details about the general biology of MS, MS symptoms and treatments, and information about some of the health professionals you might encounter when dealing with MS.
At the bottom of this page, you will find links where you can order or download our three books about MS for children and families.
Find out more
- MSTV - YouTube channel produced by the MS Trust with help from our young MS reporters
- MS Trust School Awareness Pack - A resource for schools to help young people understand MS and raise funds and awareness for the MS Trust
- MS International Federation - Childhood MS - a guide for parents (PDF)
- Kooth Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people
- Digesting Science - activities to help kids understand MS - interactive information produced in collaboration with Barts Hospital
- Supportline - A list of organisations who offer support and counselling to young people
- Contact a family - a charity supporting families with disabled children. They have a helpline, provide publications, run support groups and an online forum to make contact with other families in a similar situation.
- The MS kids are alright - blog from a parent about discussing MS with his children
- Health Talk: Young People's Experiences of long term health conditions Exploring issues around diagnosis, lifestyle and living with long term conditions
- NHS Apps for Mental Health - The NHS App Library checks these apps for safety and effectiveness
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children - GOSH information for families about childhood MS
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children - GOSH information for teachers about childhood MS
- Mighty Special kids (PDF, 1.4MB) A colourful activity book that was made in the USA so a few of the words are American. It explains about MS and talks about how you might feel about your MS and how your family might feel.
- An interactive version of Mighty Special kids This is almost the same as the Mighty Special kids activity book but you can choose which parts to see first and which ones to hide.
- Young people’s guide to MS (PDF, 1.2MB) A good place to start learning about MS. It was written for kids in the UK by the MS team in Birmingham, but the links are out of date
- Childhood Multiple Sclerosis: Families’ Experiences and Support Needs (longer summary) - Report from a study by the University of Manchester in 2012-2014
- Childhood Multiple Sclerosis: Families’ Experiences and Support Needs (clear summary) - Report from a study by the University of Manchester in 2012-2014
- Shift.ms - is an online social network for people with MS which includes “a group for younger MSers to discuss university, school etc."
Talking with your kids about MS
This book is for parents thinking about how to begin talking about MS in the family, what their children may want to know and what other parents' experiences have been.
Kids' guide to MS
Fully illustrated in bright colours with engaging characters, this Kids' Guide is written for 6-10 year olds who have a mum or dad with MS.
Young person's guide to MS
Written with the help of 10-16 year olds who know what it is like to have a parent with MS. They share their experiences, worries and emotions about living with MS in their family, and offer some useful tips.
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