A friend of mine just had a Grandson with Cystic Fibrosis, which is an inherited disease. Both parents have be carriers and pass on a certain gene, but even then I think there is only a 25% chance that their children might get CF. They have one healthy child already.

There is absolutely no history what-so-ever of Cystic Fibrosis cropping up on either side of their large families (even though both parents must have inherited the gene and been carriers).

Maybe MS is like that, and doesn't even necessarily need a trigger.

I think it's strange that Muscular Dystrophy and Multiple Sclerosis were both "discovered" in the early-mid 1800's. There is some speculation that MS symptoms might have presented a few times earlier in history . . . but they have been documenting illnesses/diseases/autopsy results since the beginning of time, and there is no evidence that MS was ever observed at autopsy until two independant doctors "discovered" it at virtually the same time in the 1800's.

Well, I suppose it might take me off the hook if they determine it's mostly genetic, but of course I worry for my kids.

Cherie