Do I need to worry about my children?

[savagek]

Hello,

At this point I have been diagnosed with MS 6/112/07. Does anyone know or think I need to worry about my children? Is there a possibility of a genetic connection? I am the only one in my family on both sides (mother's and father's) to have MS.

Thanks,

Rob

[T-lynn]

This was my worry also,but my neuro said its very doubtful.At one point I was worried about my youngest she has nystagmus and just developed it a year ago.

My neuro explained that my identical twin sister had more of chance to get MS than my children.

My grandmother had MS.

[grannyhotwheels]

I absolutely love the way you explain things.


Carol

[Quixotic1]

I have the links and you're essentially right.  However it is not known if it is the sunshine/Vit D or just Vit D.  The risk DOES appear to be where the people spent the first 15 years of life.

I will be writing up a major blurb on the autimmune thing.  They do not have PROOF that MS is autimmune from the very beginning, but they have about 20 strong pieces of indirect evidence that the process is autoimmune, no matter hwat the initial trigger.  It is really interesting, but very technical, so I'll do one of my "Quick and Dirty" discussions on it.

About the "I might Cause one of my kids to have it."  I suppose that kind of thinking is unavoidable, but, do you blame your parents for all of the things that "run in the family?"  I would have to be upset about nearsightedness, lack of teeth, bad knees, depression, funny-looking eyebrows, allergies and "Teflon" Blood.  It is not a constructive way to look at things.

The docs are very cler on what the risks are.  The numbers say that it does not "run in the genes."  But, it appears that several factors need to be right  for someone to develop MS.  It's not just genes, not just exposures, not just lattitude of childhood.

Quix

[grannyhotwheels]

I worry about the same thing.  I have 3 children and I could'nt stand it if I caused them to get this terrible disease.  I don't think anyone knows for sure.  They don't really know enough about MS to know what it will do.  

THey can't descide if it's autoimmune or not (I say it is), they only have meds that help stop progression but nothing to cure it, and they don't know why people get it.

So, I would say it's a pretty safe bet that they (the doctors) don't know if it's hereditary or not.  That's my belief on it for what that's worth.

Carol

[monotreme]

I did read somewhere on the internet that if you have MS and are worried about your children developing MS, if you move to a warm sunny part of the country and are exposed to sunshine more etc, then the children will have less of a chance of developing MS.  However, the children should be younger than age 15 to benefit from the sunny climate in reducing their risk....I can try and find that link...good luck, Craig

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Rob,  I think I can ease your mind a little.  MS is NOT a genetic disease.  However there is felt to be a genetic component of susceptibility to developing it.  The general population has a risk of about 1 in 800 to 1 in 1000 of developing MS.  Children of a parent with MS have about a 1% to 3% chance of developing it.   So it is slightly increased, but NOT 25% to 50% like in truly inherited diseases.  Also they are finding out more and more about risk factors.  Lack of sunshine and Vit D is one thing that you can do something about.  

This is a topic we could explore on the forum sometime.

Quix