ABSTRACT
Although Charcot is accredited with some of the earliest descriptions of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1868, Jean Cruveilhier was the first to publish an account of the disease in 1842. Since then, most of the medical literature concerning MS focuses on the diagnosis and management of the disease in adults. To date, there are no compelling data suggesting a fundamental difference between the disease in children compared to adults. One difference that has been observed between the two populations is a higher female:male ratio among patients in adolescents and adults compared to more even ratios in preadolescent children. While some groups suggest that children with MS have a less progressive disorder than adults, others describe a more severe condition in children with very early age of onset.
