This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

My daughter is 3 1/2. While I've tried to explain my condition, she doesn't quite understand. The other day, she told me that I needed to learn how to walk like her! I was devastated. I know it is not her fault, but I need to find a way to help her understand. Not to mention, there are handicapped children in her pre-school. thanks.

Explaining MS to a 3 year old... that's surely tough!

Maybe instead of explaining the details of treatment, you can phrase it using simple words like "really sick". Oooor, saying things like "I can't do this and that because of MS". Hmm... "MS makes me feel 'wobbily' when I walk".

I was really thinking of a three year old with that last one. =P

Sorry if it's not much help =[

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has a publication called "Keep S'Myelin" that is, according to their website, "a colorful, engaging, informative, and reassuring newsletter to help children and their parents talk and learn about MS together. Each issue is filled with stories, interviews, games, and activities that highlight a specific topic related to MS, as well as a special section just for parents."

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/multim ... index.aspx

Hi,

I was about 3 years old when my dad was diagnosed with MS.

I used to ask questions at first, I got upset when Dad told me he was sick and because of the sickness, he wasn't able to walk very well.

When he saw me getting upset and fretting about it, he tried a different approach which I think really worked with me.

He took me out the back and told me he had a suprise to show me! Out came a very plain cane walking stick! He said this was going to help him walk and asked me if I wanted to try it out.. I was hobbling all around the floor with it. Then he said "hmmm... It seems very plain to me Bianca, how about we decorate it??!!" I was delighted as we spent hours putting stickers all over his walking stick!

My dad sugar coated the fact that he had a disease by making something good come out of it..

You should have seen my face when he got a wheelchair!! Boy did we have fun decorating that!!

By the way, I should add that it was so easy to accept Dad's condition. He was the coolest Dad ever! Dad always assured me that one day a cure would come along and he would walk again. That helped me feel better too! : )