Schilder's Disease: Demyelinating Disorder of the Central Nervous System

By Jody Smith HERWriter

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Schilder's disease is similar to multiple sclerosis in many respects though its target is children, often while they are still infants. Schilder's disease is a rare condition that ravages the central nervous system.

Schindler's disease is a demyelinating disorder of the brain and spinal cord, which means that the myelin sheath of the nerve fibers are seriously and progressively damaged.

This is to say that the havoc wreaked on the myelin sheath of the nerve fibers can most likely be expected to continue to worsen over time.

Myelin is the white fatty matter that surrounds nerve fibers.

Healthy intact myelin insulates the nerves while at the same time allowing the nerve messages of the central nervous system to move quickly and efficiently. This nerve messaging slows drastically when myelin is being eroded.

While the demyelinating disorder progresses and bare patches continue to spread, greater areas of ability continue to shrink and the central nervous system becomes further disabled.

Motor ability, speech, vision and hearing slowly disappear. Even personality is interfered with.

In the gravest of cases, eventually blood pressure, heart rate and respiration will all continue to decrease unless remission occurs. In these most extreme cases, following any remission however, will be continued deterioration until life ceases.

As the brain and spinal cord become increasingly incapacitated, and the demyelinating disorder runs its course, other symptoms continue to grow. The body becomes weak on one side (hemiparesis). Movement becomes slow (psychomotor retardation).

The extremities may become paralyzed (quadraparesis). Speech becomes difficult (dysarthria) and seizures may occur. Sight and hearing is impaired. Personality changes, as well as problems with memory and cognition, increase.

The young person is less aware and less responsive to their surroundings. They can become quite thin and may lose both bladder and bowel control.

And yet, like multiple sclerosis, the course of Schilder's disease is unpredictable and seemingly unique for each individual who must bear the disease.

It is possible for young people with Schilder's disease to be heading rapidly downhill, and then for reasons unknown, to stabilize, or at least to stop deteriorating.

There have also been cases where young people with Schilder's disease have improved temporarily or even permanently.

There is unfortunately no way to foretell what will happen, the symptoms and progression of the disease that have been seen thus far are no indicator of what the future may hold, for better or for worse.

Resources:

Multiple Sclerosis and Schilder's Disease
http://www.methedoctor.com/schilder-disease.htm

AllMothers.net: Schilder's Disease
http://www.allmothers.net/schilders-disease.html

Patient Plus: Schilder's Disease
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Schilder's-Disease.htm

Healthline: Schilder's Disease
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/schilders-disease

Visit Jody's website and blog at http://www.ncubator.ca and http://ncubator.ca/blogger

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.