I have multiple sclerosis (for over 6 months) . And mother has too (for 14 years).
But her doc once said "no worry, MS does not pass with genes", so we all had believed in him, relieved.
Till I had been diagnosed of course ;)
So, does this thing pass to children somehow? Or just like "one can win the big prize in lottery. and I won that"
2006-12-17 03:11:00 · 5 answers · asked by Jesterdvine 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
While there is no evidence that MS is directly inherited, there is some sort of genetic link as well. From the MS Sourcebook:
"Genetic factors are thought to play a significant role in determining who develops MS. The average person in the United States has about one chance in 750 of developing MS. But close (first-degree) relatives of people with MS, such as children, siblings or non-identical twins, have a higher chance—ranging from one in 100 to one in 40. The identical twin of someone with MS, who shares all the same genes, has a one in four chance of developing the disease. If genes were solely responsible for determining who gets MS, an identical twin of someone with MS would have a 100% chance of developing the disease; the fact that the risk is only 1 in 4 demonstrates that other factors, including geography, ethnicity, and the elusive infectious trigger are likely involved as well."
So while there is not an absolute certainty that parents will pass MS on to their children (probably what your mom's doctor was trying to say), there certainly is a higher chance that parents who have MS will have children who have MS.
HTH
2006-12-17 17:04:41 · answer #1 · answered by CJ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My son was diagnosed with MS about 3 years ago. Not one person, on his father's or mother's side, has ever been diagnosed with MS. We went back as far as we could and looked this up. He has relapsing MS and has had about 2 relapses every year. His first symptom is usually losing his sight and then he starts to get muscle weakness, followed by tingling in his arms. I think that the last 3 or 4 times he has had an attack, he has been overheated or overstressed. Being stressed out or getting too hot are things that you want to be really careful about. The most important thing is to be very aware of any changes that you might notice. Any tingling or weakness could be the onset of MS. I know that at first, my son was afraid to mention these things, because he was so scared of having an attack. When he understood that if he did not get immediate attention things could get real bad, he would finally take action and pay attention to these things. I am so sorry that you have this horrible disease. Please, ask everyone you know to support the MS Society. Hopefully, they will someday find a cure and it will be soon enough to help you and also my son.
I'm sorry I was on my high horse preaching about MS, when that wasn't even your question. But, every time I get the chance to talk about MS, I do, because just maybe, it will reach enough people to support the MS Society, so we can fight this horrible disease and find a cure!
2006-12-17 13:53:11 · answer #2 · answered by country girl 006 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I understand how you feel on this one. I also have MS and my doctor actual had said that it may be passed through dormant genes. Another thing that they think has an effect on it, is the environment and gender. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with MS then men and depending on heritage, it may be more likely to be diagnosed with MS. Doctors don't actually know what causes Multiple Sclerosis, only some 'patterns'.
Hope that somewhat helped. Take care, don't get too stressed out and be careful on what you eat or drink and do(somethings may make your MS act up, such as pop or heat). I hope everything stays under control and does not worsen.
2006-12-17 03:37:44 · answer #3 · answered by angels_cry16 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-05-15 02:07:09 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they don't think MS is directly inheireted, meaning you could have a dormant gene and pass it on to your children. My mom has had MS for 30 years and they told her that it is unlikely but possible that she could pass it onto her kids..it's one hell of a disease..just hope it says under control and it doesn't affect you much..take care
2006-12-17 03:17:06 · answer #5 · answered by Dick Tater 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋