Families Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

multiple sclerosis diagnosis affects everyone who loves you, especially family members. They may experience the same range of emotions you do — fear, guilt, anger, denial, grief, anxiety — as they adapt to life with MS.Family members may also have questions about MS. “What will happen to you over time?” “How do we plan for the future?” “How do we manage the unpredictability of MS?” They may also be confused if their roles and responsibilities shift during this time.As your family faces these changes, the National MS Society is here to help. For more support, check out the resources below or reach out to an MS Navigator for personalized support." c-nmssatomrichtext_nmssatomrichtext-host="">

Your multiple sclerosis diagnosis affects everyone who loves you, especially family members. They may experience the same range of emotions you do — fear, guilt, anger, denial, grief, anxiety — as they adapt to life with MS.Family members may also have questions about MS. “What will happen to you over time?” “How do we plan for the future?” “How do we manage the unpredictability of MS?” They may also be confused if their roles and responsibilities shift during this time.As your family faces these changes, the National MS Society is here to help. For more support, check out the resources below or reach out to an MS Navigator for personalized support.

Carepartners and MS

Marriage and MS

Terri (right), diagnosed in 2014

Pride Comes Before the Fall

A blogger shares how marriage counseling taught her to ask for help — and saved her marriage.

Vivian, diagnosed in 2019

Till MS Do Us Part

MS forced this blogger to reckon with the fact that her marriage wasn’t right for her.

Catherine (left), diagnosed in 2018

MS to Mrs. — Getting Married While Living With RRMS

Joy, gratitude, guilt: tying the knot while living with MS can bring up conflicting emotions.

Jeff, diagnosed in 2021; Lindsay, diagnosed in 2018

Living With MS, Together

Momentum Magazine looks at how marriage works when both partners have MS.

Parenting With MS

Sheel (center), diagnosed in 2014

Support Groups and Online Communities

Parents affected by MS meet to share experiences and advice online or in-person.

Julie, diagnosed in 2007

Parenting With a Chronic Illness

Writer Julie Stamm offers advice from her experience of parenting with MS.

Sarah (center), diagnosed in 2000

The Parenting Puzzle

Momentum Magazine looks at how different parents manage their kids and their MS.

Sarah (right), diagnosed in 2012

Talking to Kids About MS

The right strategies can help you have open, honest conversations with your children.

Andy (center), diagnosed in 2007

Fulfilling the Dream of Family

For people with MS, adoption can be the answer.

Children and MS

Someone You Know Has MS: A Book for Families/Alguien que conoces tiene esclerosis múltiple: un libro para familias with your child. The activity book Keep S’myelin/Sigue sonriendo may also help children ages 5 to 12 by providing key information in a kid-friendly way. Tips for Talking to Kids About MS, From a Former Anxious Child discusses the impact of having a parent with MS and offers advice for easing kids' anxieties.If you have a child diagnosed with MS, see our page on pediatric MS." c-nmssatomrichtext_nmssatomrichtext-host="">

Children have their own unique concerns, fears and questions when a parent is diagnosed with MS. These are all important to address. You might start by reading Someone You Know Has MS: A Book for Families/Alguien que conoces tiene esclerosis múltiple: un libro para familias with your child. The activity book Keep S’myelin/Sigue sonriendo may also help children ages 5 to 12 by providing key information in a kid-friendly way. Tips for Talking to Kids About MS, From a Former Anxious Child discusses the impact of having a parent with MS and offers advice for easing kids' anxieties.If you have a child diagnosed with MS, see our page on pediatric MS.

Teenagers and MS

Plaintalk: A Booklet About MS for Families provides some answers and includes teen perspectives on the disease.It might also help to read first-hand accounts of growing up with a parent who has MS:

If you are a teen diagnosed with MS, see our page on pediatric MS." c-nmssatomrichtext_nmssatomrichtext-host="">

If you are a teenager whose parent has MS, you probably have many complex questions about the disease and the ways your life has changed. Plaintalk: A Booklet About MS for Families provides some answers and includes teen perspectives on the disease.It might also help to read first-hand accounts of growing up with a parent who has MS:

If you are a teen diagnosed with MS, see our page on pediatric MS.

Plaintalk: A Booklet About MS for Families provides some answers and includes teen perspectives on the disease.It might also help to read first-hand accounts of growing up with a parent who has MS:

If you are a teen diagnosed with MS, see our page on pediatric MS." c-nmssatomrichtext_nmssatomrichtext-host="">

If you are a teen diagnosed with MS, see our page on pediatric MS.

Families Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Carepartners and MS

Marriage and MS

Parenting With MS

Children and MS

Teenagers and MS

Additional Resources