The National MS Society offers three kinds of telephone support to the parents and relatives of youth with MS:
- Parent Support Group: Monthly support groups for parents or relatives of youth with MS are held by telephone for those interested in sharing feelings and discussing different aspects of the disease. Linda Samuel, MSW, LCSW facilitates these hour-long support calls. Each call costs approximately $6 to $10; financial assistance is available to those in need.
- Parent Teleconferences: Every other month, relatives of youth with MS can dial in to a discussion with a noted MS professional. During our teleconference, an expert speaks for approximately 20 minutes about issues concerning youth with MS, and then answers questions from participants for the remainder of the hour-long call. Topics typically relate to research, treatment, cognitive issues, and children’s rights at school. The call costs approximately $6 to $10; financial assistance is available to those in need. For the date of upcoming calls, consult our calendar.
- Short-Term Counseling: We also offer free, short-term telephone counseling for youth with MS and their family members. These sessions are offered by a licensed social worker.
For more information on any of these calls, please contact us at 1-866-KIDS W MS (866-543-7967) or childhoodms@nmss.org.