Chronic Fatigue in Children

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a debilitating illness characterized by a lasting physical and emotional fatigue that does not get better with rest. While it was once thought to only affect adults, it has now been diagnosed in children and adolescents.

What is Chronic Fatigue?

• The National Cancer institute describes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as "A condition lasting for more than 6 months in which a person feels tired most of the time and may have trouble concentrating and carrying out daily activities. Other symptoms include sore throat, fever, muscle weakness, headache, and joint pain."

How Often it Affects Children

• According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), "studies by CDC and others have shown that between 1 and 4 million Americans suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)." Chronic Fatigue is more commonly found in women than in men, but it bears no bias towards race or ethnicity. While statistics are readily found on adults with the disorder, the actual number of children and adolescents with the disorder is unknown.

Treatment

• According to the Archives of Disease in Childhood, treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be most effective if approached from a multidisciplinary way. That is "graded activities/exercise programme, family sessions, and supportive care."

  A research study published in the archives concluded, "...the outcome of outpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitative treatment compared with supportive care alone for children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome...(is that) those in the programme group had significantly higher Wellness score and school attendance than those having supportive care alone. The programme significantly reduced the overall severity of illness."

Prognosis

• A journal article published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, reviewed the course and outcome of Chronic Fatigue in children and adolescents. The study found, "children and adolescents with chronic fatigue have a syndrome that is similar to that described in adults, but that the syndrome differs in several ways, most specifically, presentation earlier in the course of the illness and a more optimistic outcome."

Where to Get Help

• If you suspect that you or your child has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a trained medical professional should be able to evaluate the symptoms and make a diagnosis or referral from there. Be prepared for your doctor's visit by having a written list of the symptoms. It can be unnerving to speak with anyone about your condition, so it is a good idea to write down the issues you are having in advance so that you don't forget anything while you are there.