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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
Multiple sclerosis in childhood: a new look
Insights
Pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) can present with seizures and intellectual decline. Early symptoms and white matter lesions on CT scans are key indicators in children with MS.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neuroimmunology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Pediatric-onset MS (POMS) presents unique diagnostic and management challenges.
- Understanding early clinical and radiological manifestations in children is crucial for timely diagnosis.
Observation:
- A cohort of five pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) was studied.
- Patients presented with a range of neurological symptoms including focal seizures and encephalopathy.
- Progressive intellectual deterioration was observed in all five children.
Findings:
- The age of symptom onset varied between three and 14 years.
- Computed tomography (CT) revealed low-density white matter lesions in all patients.
- Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were abnormal in all cases, indicating significant neurological disturbance.
- Oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and abnormal pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were noted in some patients.
Implications:
- This case series highlights the diverse clinical presentations of pediatric MS.
- Early recognition of neurological and intellectual decline is vital for pediatric MS diagnosis.
- Advanced neuroimaging and neurophysiological tests aid in characterizing the disease in children.
Abstract:
Five patients (four female, one male) with multiple sclerosis were managed at the Hospital for Sick Children, London, between January 1978 and June 1983. The age at which first symptoms occurred varied from three to 14 years. Focal seizures occurred in three cases and an encephalopathic process in three cases, and there was evidence of progressive intellectual deterioration in all five children. Computed tomography showed low-density lesions in the white matter of all five. Electroencephalograms were abnormal in all cases, and in two the disturbance was severe. Oligoclonal bands were present in the cerebrospinal fluid of two children. Four of the five children had abnormal responses to pattern-reversal stimulus.
