Some children might need immunomodulation (im·mu·no·mod·u·la·tion) therapy (a type of medicine) because their immune system causes damage to the nervous system.
Children’s Health℠ offers more than 20 immunomodulation therapies to help children live life to the fullest despite these lifelong conditions. What makes us different is that we enroll your child in our transitional care program at age 13. This starts preparing them to manage their own care by the time they turn 18.
Overview
What is pediatric immunomodulation therapy?
When our immune system sends cells to an injury or infection, it can cause inflammation. Sometimes, the immune system mistakenly sends cells to healthy areas of the body. This can damage normal, healthy tissue. Too much inflammation contributes to several diseases and conditions, including multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, anti-MOG associated disorder and autoimmune encephalitis. Immunomodulation works by modifying the body’s immune response.
Some of the ways to modify the immune system include:
Blocking immune cells from leaving the bloodstream and entering the brain or spinal cord
Destroying part of the immune system to prevent attacks from happening
Preventing inflammation from coming back
Retraining the immune system to not attack the brain or spinal cord
Our team will work with you to choose a treatment plan that can best address your child’s needs. These medications can be given as a liquid, pill, shot or infusion.
Benefits
What are the benefits of pediatric immunomodulation therapy?
Immunomodulation can prevent the immune system from continuing to attack the body. However, it won't cure the underlying problem in your child's immune system.
Side Effects
What are the side effects of pediatric immunomodulation therapy?
The possible side effects of immunomodulation depend on the type of therapy your child is taking. Many have no side effects. Some have side effects like nausea, muscle aches or fatigue. In these cases, we have treatments to prevent the side effects from happening (or we can switch your child to a new medication).
Risks
What are the risks of pediatric immunomodulation therapy?
We do everything possible to protect your child from any risks of taking immunomodulation therapy. Since immunomodulation does slow down the immune system, your physician will keep a close eye on possible risks.
Most of these are mild and very treatable, including:
Some types of immunomodulation can cause more serious risks, like increasing the chances of infection or changing how the liver works. If this happens, we’ll take your child off the immunomodulation. These side effects will stop once your child is off the medication.
What to Expect
What to expect with pediatric immunomodulation therapy
You can expect that your child will require long-term treatment to prevent their immune system from attacking their body. At your first treatment, we’ll discuss how the immunomodulation is taken, how often it's taken and any potential side effects or risks. Then, you’ll see us two to three times a year for follow-up evaluations. During the evaluations, we’ll make sure the treatment is working, do routine blood work, ask if your child is having any side effects, and answer any questions you might have. Follow-up visits are a long-term commitment.
How to Prepare
What questions should I ask my provider about pediatric immunomodulation therapy?
How much long-term safety data do you have on this particular immunomodulation?
What are the odds this immunomodulation will succeed or fail in preventing new attacks?
What are the risks of immunomodulation?