The fact that the child or children who have an ill parent risk to have physical, emotional and social problems is well known. Furthermore, studies revealed that parental illnesses like cancer, diabetes, arthritis and chronic pain affect children – they usually have higher levels of emotional distress, somatic concerns, behavioral problems and lower self-esteem when compared with children who have physically healthy parents. There’s no evidence, however, on the relationship between specific types of illnesses and the different aspects of children’s social and emotional development.

Even if the above paragraph seems to portray a dark image, there is still good news. Research showed also that there are factors that can affect the ill-parent-child relationship like the gender of the ill parent and the child, the child’s age, child’s understanding of parent’s illness, the relationship that the both have with each other an also the mental health of both parents.

There are not many studies that specifically examined the parent’s MS and children’s adjustment in the family. However, the more recent studies did not reveal any significant psychological or behavioral difficulties.