Multiple sclerosis in children and pregnant women

Autoimmune disease of the CNS with lesion of the myelin sheath of fibers often occurs between the ages of 14 and 40 years. However, there are many cases when multiple sclerosis is diagnosed in a child under 3 years old. Only in Russia, pathology revealed 205 000 people, of whom 5% are children. The disease leads to disruption of physical skills, degradation of psychoemotional potential. In a difficult stage, patients need the help of relatives.

The peculiarity of the disease consists in the simultaneous appearance of diffuse foci of demyelination in various parts of the brain, formed as a result of the destruction of the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. More often they appear in the hemispheres, cerebellum, trunk or cords of the spinal cord.

Along with the changes in tissue under the microscope, we see enlarged vessels, glued cells leading to thrombus formation. With time, the nerve fiber that transmits impulses becomes thinner, a person loses the ability to control the body, receive signals from the senses. There are paralysis, a number of other anomalies that reduce the quality of life.

Signs of the pathology of

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis in children develop against the background of partial obstruction of signals in the conductive pathways. First, in the morning, there is a "creepy" in the eyes, a veil, the clarity of perception disappears. The most frequent complaint is increased fatigue with an increase in temperature.

The child has a sensitivity to overheating and a change in gait. After going to the doctor, the conclusion is "retrobulbar neuritis".Assign hydrocortisone, vitamins A, group B. A little later the child complains of problems in the legs. In 96% the diagnosis of "optic neuritis" is not confirmed.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis in children are nonspecific, often similar to markers of other pathologies. The following manifestations are possible:

• low sensitivity in the limbs, weakness( paresis);
• impaired sensitivity( tingling, feeling of passing current);
• convulsions;
• coordination disorder;
• loss of smell;
• hearing loss;
• there are problems with the psyche;
• vision impairment;
• face parseles;
• is concerned about trigeminal neuralgia.

The disease occurs in 2 types:

1. The aggravation stage with the symptoms listed above is replaced by a sharp improvement in the condition. Remission can last up to 10 years.
2. Exacerbation with functional impairment of organs and systems with attachment of secondary infection of excretory organs( kidneys), lungs.

The type of disease course is difficult to determine. The phases are set on the EDSS scale based on the severity of the neurological signs. Regardless of the degree, children are assigned a disability group.

Important! When neurological signs appear, even short-term and passing, it is necessary to consult a neurologist and undergo a diagnostic examination( MRI).

Triggers that trigger abnormal processes are partially installed. It is proved that the disease has a viral nature, develops after herpes, adenovirus, measles, mumps. If the child has a genetic predisposition, against the background of weakened immunity, anti-myelin antibodies that destroy myelin can form. But this does not mean that a woman with a confirmed diagnosis can not tolerate a baby.

Pregnancy and childbirth in case of illness

Is it possible to give birth with multiple sclerosis? If 20 years ago gynecologists could not answer how the weakened organism will react to pregnancy, today it is proved that a woman with pathology can give birth to a healthy baby. The risks of obtaining complications in the form of arterial hypertension, preeclampsia are the same in all parturient women. With multiple sclerosis in pregnant women there is no prospect of aggravation of the condition, and the disease itself does not affect the bearing, delivery.

The activity of the disease is associated with hormonal irregularities. The hormone of pregnancy - prolactin resuscitates the affected nerve cells, stimulates the production of a lipid substance( myelin).After delivery, multiple sclerosis progresses. There is an increase in neurologic signs on the EDSS scale, but the increasing symptomatology does not affect the outcome of the disease. Studies have shown that in the next 2 years the prospect of developing relapse is the same as before the onset of pregnancy.

Multiple sclerosis during childbirth does not lead to malformations of the baby. Since the overwhelming majority of women in labor in the family history of anomalies were not noted, this allows to assert that MS is not considered hereditary diseases. However, those who had relatives had an average predisposition of 1:40.

It was proved that the incidence of childless women is 2 times higher than that of mothers of 2 children. And after pregnancy, pathology less often takes on a progredient character( progressing), and disability occurs much later. Life expectancy is affected by the degree of severity, quality of treatment. If the disease began to develop at an early age with visual impairment, the prognosis is favorable.