MIstress Redqueenbbw's blog: "Multiple sclerosis"

My son has ms trying to figure out a bit more about it!!! 1. What is multiple sclerosis? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord. The disease attacks the protective myelin covering of the central nervous system, causing inflammation and often destroying the myelin in patches. In its most common form, MS has well defined attacks followed by complete or partial recovery. The severity of MS, progression and specific symptoms cannot be predicted at the time of diagnosis While it is most often diagnosed in young adults, aged 15 to 40, we know that it affects children, some as young as two years old. The impact is felt by family, friends and by the community. MS is unpredictable, affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. Its effects are physical, emotional, financial, and last a lifetime. There is no cure. Did you know ... Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada. Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS. Women more than twice as likely to develop MS as men. MS can cause loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis. MS was first identified and described by a French neurologist, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot, in 1868. We don't know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer. MS attacks the protective covering — myelin — of the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation and often damaging the myelin in patches. When this happens, the usual flow of nerve impulses along nerve fibres (axons) is interrupted or distorted. The result may be the wide variety of MS symptoms, depending upon what part or parts of the central nervous system are affected. The damaged parts of myelin are often called “lesions” or “plaques”. There also is evidence that permanent damage to nerve fibres may occur in association with the attack on myelin. We do not know as yet what causes MS. Most researchers believe that MS is an autoimmune disease. For reasons that are still unclear, the body’s immune system malfunctions and starts attacking the myelin which protects the central nervous system. There is some evidence that MS may be triggered by a common virus, and that certain people are more susceptible to developing MS because of genetic factors. There is no evidence, however, that MS is a directly inherited disease. A number of genes are probably involved in making some people more susceptible to MS. So if there is anyone out there with a child that has ms Please put some input for me please & thank-u xoox Redqueenbbw !!!