Louisville MS Center

The goal of this program is to help those affected by MS (families, patients and significant others) understand and learn effective and developmentally appropriate coping strategies when dealing with the psychosocial aspects of MS. Children of MS patients are vulnerable to strong feelings of grief, confusion, guilt, and fear due to their mother/father's MS. They are prone to depression and feelings of isolation.
Many children of our MS patients are young and cannot understand the disease and its affect on their parent, particularly those whose parents are in

the early stages of the disease and/or have a less aggressive form of MS and often have mild symptoms that are not visible to the child. Patients with more advanced stages and/or more aggressive forms of MS have symptoms of the disease that are very apparent to the child (e.g., the need for a cane or wheelchair).

These children are very aware of the negative impacts on their lifestyle (e.g., the parent can no longer drive a car, maintain their employment, or continue to take care of daily household responsibilities). These children need a safe environment in which to express their emotions and to gain an age appropriate understanding of the disease and its affect on their parent and their family.

Through KIDZ and MS, the Center provides an environment where children can learn about the disease and its effects, where they can express their emotions, and interact with other children who are facing the same experiences.