Multiple Sclerosis in childhood

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (ms) is considered as the major cause of acquired neurological insult in young adults and the commonest demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (Cns). It is an inflammatory disease, which is characterized by areas of demyelination, rupture of the blood-brain barrier and diffuse disorder of the white matter. ms is considered rarer in childhood. however, a percentage of 3-10% has the first episode of ms in age less than 16 years old. the diagnosis of ms in childhood requires clinical and laboratory data, which detect the demyelinating episodes of the Cns, leading to the exclusion of other pathologic conditions. the therapeutic options are variable and focus more on the use of steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins, while recent data suggest the use of interferon. In this review, we present the latest bibliographic data concerning the epidemiological characteristics, the etiology, the clinical course of the disease, the available diagnostic methods and the main treatment options.