Background: There is growing recognition that multiple sclerosis (MS) is a possible, albeit

Teachers are supporting an increasing number of pupils with long‐term health conditions in mainstream schools. The aim of this literature review was to critically appraise and synthesise research that has examined teachers' perceptions of the key barriers and facilitators to supporting pupils with long‐term conditions, teachers' training needs and interventions that aim to improve teachers' knowledge of long‐term conditions, and teachers' confidence in supporting children and young people. A narrative literature review was conducted using a systematic search of computerised databases and manual searches of key journals and reference lists to retrieve studies published between 2003 and 2013. Studies were critically appraised and key themes across studies identified. In total, 61 papers from 58 studies were included in the review. The findings suggest that teachers receive little formal training relevant to long‐term condition management and are fearful of the risks involved in teaching children and young people with long‐term conditions. Communication between families, school and health and social care services appears to be poor. Educational programmes developed in conjunction with and/or delivered by healthcare professionals seem to have the potential to increase teachers' knowledge and confidence. This review suggests that healthcare professionals have an important role to play in supporting teachers in identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with long‐term conditions. It is vital that pupils with long‐term conditions receive appropriate care and support in schools to ensure their safety and help them to integrate with their peers and achieve their academic potential. Limitations in the current evidence are highlighted and implications for future research are identified.

Background: Childhood long-term conditions are usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood. Little is known about the particular experiences and needs of young people who receive a chronic illness diagnosis during adolescence or late childhood. This paper will examine this experience in relation to multiple sclerosis (MS), which is increasingly being diagnosed before adulthood.Aims: To explore how young people experience an MS diagnosis.Methods: Qualitative study using a grounded theory approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 young people diagnosed with MS. Participants were recruited through health service and voluntary sector organizations in the United Kingdom.Results: Young people's pre-illness normality was disrupted by the diagnosis of a chronic illness (MS). Participants experienced their body as changed physically, cognitively, and emotionally and as changeable due to symptom unpredictability. This influenced how participants perceived and presented their identity, disrupted their relationships, and altered their future biography. Young people developed strategies to manage their condition and identities in order to incorporate MS into their current and future lives, which required continual illness and identity work in response to changing symptoms, social contexts, and relationships.Conclusions: Although young peoples' experience of living with chronic illness has been widely explored, the aftermath of diagnosis has been underresearched from their perspective. This study contributes to this knowledge gap by illuminating how young people experience a chronic illness diagnosis and negotiate the resulting changes to their identity, relationships, and future. The findings suggest that young people need preparation and support in disclosing their diagnosis to others. Professionals supporting young people with long-term conditions need to work closely with specialist mental health services to ensure that they receive appropriate emotional support. Schools have an important role in ensuring young people with long-term conditions achieve their academic potential and receive appropriate careers advice.