evenin' Leggz.
when my kids were that young, my symptoms were visual (partial blindness from optic neuritis) and horrible headaches...
my sons (aged 4 and 5 at the time) had fun decorating my pirate patches with felt-tip markers and glitter,
I tried to make it a "project" for them, finding ways they could "help" like closing the blinds so the light wouldn't bother mommy, fetching things, and helping guide me around the house.
it made them feel more grown up and mature to be my little men for a few months.
the next flare wasn't for another two years, and they were old enough by then to understand that mommy was really sick (they could see my legs buckle, and sometimes even collapse.)
by then, the family joke was that there was nothing wrong with my legs, it was "The HOLES in Mommy's Head"
by the time the next flare rolled around, they were going door to door collecting pledges for the MS WALK, and organizing their classmates into a walking team, and their teachers and friends' parents all helped staff the rest stops and the finish line.
by then, with me giving little explanations all along (and being careful to avoid frightening them, or leaning on them for support, or giving them too much information) they were experts in explaining MS with one or two sentences ("My mom's T-cells have gone bonkers, and are chewing little holes in her head..." and "MS is like little RAMBOs, running amok, and shooting holes in the insulation on mom's brain wiring.")
by the time I couldn't pick them up any more, they were too old to be picked up, but the main thing is don't let your worry show on your face, be calm and reassuring... at age 4, all she needs to know is that your back is very sore, and mom's not a jungle gym at the moment.
big ol' huge hugs for you Leggz, and a hug for your daughter too...
treat it like you would sex education, give 'em only what they need to know, in an age-appropriate fashion...
and ask your local MS Society for loaner books on kids of parents with MS...
here's some books we found to be helpful:
Coping When a Parent Has Multiple Sclerosis - by Barbara Cristall.
New York: Rosen Publishing, 1992. 145 pages, $13.50. Not available in bookstores. To order, call 1-800-237-9932.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...11/ai_14276049
and an online book:
Someone You Know Has MS: A Book for Families
This online book is aimed at families with pre-teen children, where a parent has Multiple Sclerosis, produced by the US National Multiple Sclerosis Society, available in PDF format here:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/mul...ers/index.aspx
more online stuff:
Web Resources For Children, Teens & Parents
Included on this page are various links to information aimed at children and teenagers with a parent affected by Multiple Sclerosis. As well as information for a parent who needs to explain their Multiple Sclerosis to a child or teenager.
http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuse...ow&pageid=1077
