If you’ve been reading my blog for a bit then you know I have two sons, 13 and 7. I was officially diagnosed with MS when when they were 8 and 2 but I had been experiencing issues for so much longer.

How do you go about talking to your kids about MS, the future and changes that may happen? There’s no protocol to follow about informing your children about this disease. You want to prepare them but not scare them. You need them to know certain things (depending on what your own MS looks like) but also not make it look bleak.

For me, I have always told my kids up front what is what, I realized later that slowly easing into it would have probably been better. I like to have all of the information and possible outcomes and I assume everyone else does too. I didn’t think that through though because at the time I was in a whirlwind of information, my new reality and trying to figure out what course I was going to take. I was in crisis management mode.

My oldest was worried, he is less so now thankfully, and as my youngest grew I bought books on MS written for kids. It helped, there were words and pictures in front of them discussing the science of it and what it looks like for different people.

I am NOT being paid for this information, I just want other people with MS to know what I have found helpful.

1. Sometimes, M.S. is yucky by Kimberly Harrold, this book is short and goes over the basics with illustrations that children can understand. In the back of the book there is a section for adults to read through prior to reading it to a child so they can know kind of what to expect from kids and questions and the best way to discuss it. (This book could be read to younger children, maybe even 3 years and kids you might feel will be overwhelmed with information. The illustrations in this book is a mom and child, medical people and does have a mom in a wheelchair)
2. My Mommy Has Multiple Sclerosis (Gail’s Story) by Rebecca Clary, this book’s illustrations are animals, the mom is a giraffe and an elephant doctor. This book also discusses symptoms that may come and go and what it looks like. The author is a mom who has M.S. and in the back there is a kid friendly glossary.
3. The Electrifying Story of Multiple Sclerosis by Vanita Oelschlager, this book is for older kids as it goes more in depth of the science and loads of different symptoms that are not addressed in the previous two. I would say 9 would be a good age for this book but my 7 year old has read it on his own and I previously read it to him, but he’s like me and likes all the information possible and asks lots of questions. This book is detailed but also simple enough that your average reader can understand. I am not even sure if this book was aimed at children, but my kids liked it for the details. I plan on using this book when I discuss invisible illnesses with my youngest cub scout den.
4. MS Children’s Book by Zac Raasch, this book discusses MS as though it’s a monster. (MonSter), I know this is a way that some people address their MS and this would be good for those people. The book is easy to read and goes over the basics in a child friendly way.

All four of these books are good, my children found them helpful. I would say if the child is over 9 or 10 though just go to the third book as the other three may seem to young for them.

Have you found anything to be helpful when discussing this with kids? I am always open to new ideas.