Information for young people when multiple sclerosis enters the family

Multiple sclerosis (MS) typically affects people aged 20-40 years and, by its very nature, is characterized by unpredictability, uncertainty and variability, and is therefore bound to have an impact on children who have a parent with MS. There has been little work done to assess the needs of young people living with MS in their family. A series of workshops specifically aimed at 9-14-year-olds who have a parent with MS have been successfully conducted. This article reviews the background to setting up the workshop and identifies implications for future MS specialist nurses to help this potentially vulnerable group of people. By breaking the silence and talking about MS with young people, the myths can be removed and the anxieties reduced.