About Adrenal Fatigue in Children

Children are not immune from medical conditions, even those where the causes may appear to be things that only an adult can experience. Adrenal fatigue is one such condition. Typically believed to be a stress related illness, children are just as susceptible to the ailments of this condition.

History

• While adrenal fatigue used to be a condition that was thought to affect only adults, children are now showing symptoms. This condition usually appears after a life changing event, an illness, or some other stressful experience. Unfortunately, children are being exposed to more and more stressful situations and this exposure is affecting their health.

Causes

• Adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce the correct level of hormones. The result is an increased level of exhaustion when the child is supposed to be awake and a feeling of restlessness when the child tries to sleep. This confusion within the body leaves the child open to a higher chance of catching illnesses (such as common colds) and a harder time recovering from them.
  The child will also have a lower tolerance to stressful situations. Decisions are harder to make and experiences can become more traumatic.

Diagnosis

• Unfortunately, diagnosing adrenal fatigue is not as easy as other conditions. While the condition has been acknowledged in the medical community for many decades, it is usually not detected until there are multiple complications caused from the low hormone production.
  The most accurate test to diagnose the condition is the saliva adrenal hormone test. This test can be done in a doctor's office and the results are easily read.
  Many doctors also use a questionnaire as a method of diagnosing the condition. This method proves to be a bit challenging, however, when attempting to diagnose children. Not all children experiencing adrenal fatigue can report what their symptoms are.

Treatment

• There are few steps that can be taken to treat adrenal fatigue:
  • A well balanced diet will help the child suffering from adrenal fatigue. Providing the proper nutrition will allow the body to recover faster and return to normal functioning. This includes removing junk food from the diet.
  • Exercising can help the body recover naturally. Though initially, the child may be tired, getting into a routine of exercise can gradually help the body begin producing the normal level of hormones.
  • Remove unnecessary stressors from the child. The child should not have to face stressful situations that should be managed by adults.
  • Teach the child appropriate coping skills for situations that are normal childhood stressors. By learning new methods of coping with stress, the child will be less likely to have a repeat of this condition.
  • Provide the child with an appropriate multi-vitamin to make sure that the body receives a healthy supply of vitamins to combat illness and stress.
  Only when the condition has developed into a more severe medical problem, such as Cushing's Disease or Addison's Disease, will medication be necessary.

Prevention/Solution

• Steps to preventing adrenal fatigue are the same as those used to treat the condition. Being proactive can prove to be very beneficial in combating this particular condition. With children, it is critical for parents and caregivers to understand that this condition is stress related and it is up to them to remove the unnecessary stressors if possible.