In 2006, the National MS Society established a nationwide network of six Pediatric MS Centers of Excellence to provide comprehensive evaluation and care to children and teens (up to age 18) with MS, and other related central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disorders. The centers were selected (through a peer review process) on the basis of having multidisciplinary teams of adult and child specialists; ties to an adult MS center; staff to evaluate and address school and other psycho-social issues; support for families; and the ability to work collaboratively with other institutions in the network.
The centers are working together to:
- Improve evaluation and management strategies to enhance diagnosis and care of children with MS and other related disorders
- Develop resources for families, health care professionals and the public
- Collect data that will enable large scale research initiatives
The Centers:
Center for Pediatric-Onset Demyelinating Disease at the Children's Hospital of Alabama
CHB 314K
1600 7th Ave South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Center director: Jayne Ness, MD, PhD
Contact person: Sarah Middleton
Phone: (205) 996-7850
Web: www.uab.edu/cpodd/
UCSF Regional Pediatric MS Center
Box 0348
San Francisco, CA 94143-0348
Project director: Emmanuelle Waubant, MD, PhD
Contact person: Marianne Doyle, MSW
Phone: (415) 353-3939
Web: www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/special/p/62258.html
Partners Pediatric MS Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children
Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care, Suite 6B
55 Fruit St.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA 02114
Center director: Tanuja Chitnis, MD
Contact person: Rose Fratarcangeli
Phone: (617) 726-2664
Web: www.partnersmscenter.org/pediatric
Mayo Clinic Pediatric MS Center
200 1st St. SW
Rochester, MN 55905
Center directors: Nancy L. Kuntz, MD & Moses Rodriguez, MD
Contacts: Carma Willers, MSW and Paula Freitag, MSW
Phone: (507) 538-2555 or (507) 284-2111
Web: www.mayoclinic.org/pediatric-center
Pediatric MS Center of the Jacobs Neurological Institute
219 Bryan St.
Buffalo, NY 14222
Center director: Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD
Contact person: Mary Karpinksi, MSW
Phone: (716) 878-7367 or (877) 878-7367
Email: PedMS@thejni.org
Web: www.pedms.com/
National Pediatric MS Center at Stony Brook University Hospital
Department of Neurology, HSC-T12-020
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11784-8121
Center director: Lauren Krupp, MD
Contact person: Maria Milazzo, RN
Phone: (631) 444-7802
Email: info@pediatricmscenter.org
Web: www.pediatricmscenter.org/
Families now have Society-supported resources for evaluation, diagnosis, medical care and support. A child does not need to have a definite diagnosis of MS to be evaluated at one of these sites. Children with symptoms suggestive of any CNS demyelinating disorder will be seen.
A priority of this network is to provide comprehensive care to children with central nervous system demyelinating conditions, regardless of ability to pay. Financial assistance is also available for travel and accommodation according to need.