posted 06-17-2002 12:45 PM            

Actually MS is not hereditary, however you, like in most chronic illnesses are predisposed. You have better odds of getting the disease if a close family member has it. I worry about my daughter inheriting MS, however she is 28 and still thankfully fine. I am the first person in my family to have multiple sclerosis and I am, 30 something years later quite fine. True I have a few symptoms, but I will live with them.

Don't worry yourself unnecessarily as you will stress yourself out and put yourself in quandary that you do not need. Relax and enjoy your teen years as they are definitely the best years of your life!

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone
amateur built the ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
‹„›¿‹„›
³´`*:»§<<Laura K.*»§«:*´`³
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posted 07-01-2002 01:02 PM            

The genes a person inherits help determine whether that person is at increased risk for developing MS. While there is evidence from studies that this genetic component exists, it appears to be only one factor among several. Most likely an individual’s genetic blueprint ultimately determines if that individual will be susceptible to a triggering factor, which in turn initiates the autoimmune process that leads to the development of MS.

What Population Studies Show
Epidemiologic surveys have determined that an individual's risk of developing MS increases several-fold if a close family member has MS. But the risk is still relatively low. While the average person in the United States has about 1 chance in 1,000 of developing MS, close relatives of people with MS, such as children or siblings, have a 1 in 100 to 1 in 50 chance of developing MS. The identical twin of a person with MS has a 1 in 3 chance of developing the disease.