MS passed down to children

[Peg409]

Of the people with a MS dx on here, I was wondering if any of you have had children who also have a dx of MS? If you do at what age did your children start showing symptoms?

I have read about the percentages of childrens chances to get MS but, I want to know more about personal experiences.

I ask because I have a 13 year old daughter who has been complaining of headaches since the begining of summer. She's had glasses for about 2 years and the script has changed 3 times already, and just this past week she started "training" for her school track team, she came home from school Thursday and told me that she didn't understand what was happening to her because while she was trying to run her right foot wasn't working right. I asked what she means by not working right and she said, "it just drops on me and I end up falling" (she has played softball in the past and she never had problems running, she was actually a very fast runner)

She had a physical to join the team a few weeks ago and all of he blood work came back normal, and she did tell the doc about her headaches.

Any ideas, or am I just an over protective mom?

[Deb61]

My doctor said that the same--there is an increased risk of your children inheriting the disease, but it is small.  She recommended that both my girls take vitamin D to help prevent it.  She also said that taking vitamin D yourself will help prevent relapses, too.

[Peg409]

Thank you ladies, the blood work was the usual cbc etc but also to check for diabetes (family history both grandfathers), anemia (also family history sister) and other heart problems (again because of family history two cousins). My daughters pcp retired this summer and the new doctor wanted to be thorough.

I forgot to mention my husbands MS, these days it's all computerized and they go down a check list with you but I guess we didn't get to the neirological condition phase.

Yes, the foot problem was just last week.

[SarahL2491]

According to the statistics I've found, the % you can pass on is only 1-2%, which is pretty low.

[LisaJF]

Welcome to the forums!

Nothing wrong with being overprotective with your daughter.  To hear that you're daughter had an issue with her right foot and it wasn't working right sends you a clue that there's something wrong.   Even though her physical was fine before the track team started their training as well as her bloodwork (which we don't know what they tested but most likely a CBC, metabolic panel) doesn't mean she does not have something going on.

My advice (although Im not a doctor) is to inform your daughters doctor of the "right foot" not working right.  This to me is a sign that something neurological is going on and as for the cause...the reasons could be anything at this time, so don't drive yourself crazy in that respect, although it is easy for me to say.  I don't know how long ago this happened (Last week?) but I would take her in to her general primary doctor to evaluate after an experience such as that and not put time in between.

I have read that MS is not considered hereditary but does increase the risk of getting it.

Again, welcome to the forums and I'm sure others will respond to your post here and you can receive different thoughts and support.

Let us know how things go!

Lisa