What You Need To Know About Multiple Sclerosis In Children

Preventing MS Attacks

Although corticosteroids do not prevent attacks, they often interrupt and shorten the length of the attack. Intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange can reduce the number of attacks and stop the disease from getting worse. Three different FDA-approved medications are often used to prevent MS relapses and slow down the progression of the disease in adults. These medications have not yet been approved for use with children; however, it is common practice for doctors to prescribe them off-label to child MS patients. The names of the medications are glatiramer acetate, interferon beta-1a, and interferon beta-1b. These medications need to be injected either by the child or teenager or by the parents if the child is too young. Studies have shown that these medications are safe and effective for kids with MS.