Devic's Disease

Devic's Disease

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Treatment

Children and adolescents with Devic's disease receive treatment at our Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. Our team of experts specializes in Devic's disease and related conditions. We work with each patient to develop a unique treatment plan, including long-term follow-up care specifically tailored to his or her needs. When necessary, we also collaborate with other specialists at UCSF or elsewhere to ensure that your child receives the most comprehensive care possible. Additionally, because we are part of an international network of six pediatric MS centers sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, we have access to the latest information, research and treatments.

Treatment will depend on the severity of your child's condition and their symptoms. Intravenous (IV) steroids and/or oral steroid therapy may be given to your child to manage attacks and control symptoms. Immune suppressant medications, either taken intravenously or orally, may also be recommended to prevent future attacks. Children who do not respond to steroids or immune suppressant drugs and continue to experience attacks may benefit from plasma exchange. In this procedure, blood is extracted and a machine separates the blood cells from the plasma. Blood cells are then mixed with a replacement solution that resembles plasma, which is then returned to the body.

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Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated August 15, 2007