Why Kids Need MS Information NMSS consultant and comprehensive care specialist Deborah Miller, Ph.D., LISW, provided counsel on Nervo during its development. Dr. Miller stressed the importance of using realistic dialogue, beliefs, and situations. If Mom's energy level has changed, if Dad walks differently, or if that parent is spending more time in the doctor's office, the child will naturally try to make sense of the situation. However, the child may come up with an explanation that is far worse than what's really happening. Dr. Miller suggests talking about MS as situations arise.
Kids are generally interested in the here and now, so that's the best way to introduce the subject.
A parent could begin by saying, 'I'm starting a new medicine today,' and then talk about MS in that context. If MS gets shoved into the background and ignored, it becomes like a 1000-pound white elephant sitting in the middle of the living room. While it shouldn't be the focus of one's life, people who do best are those who think of MS as a part of their normal way of being. Books Available through Local Resources Obtaining a free copy of Nervo to the Rescue is easy. MS affects over a third of a million people in the U.S. alone, and is the most common neurologic disease of young to middle-aged adults.