Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes extreme fatigue that restricts normal daily tasks. It is widespread among many adults. It is hard to determine the exact cause of it, but it is diagnosed by a doctor by ruling out other factors of the ongoing fatigue and other symptoms.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome In Children and the Symptoms
Chronic fatigue syndrome in young adults is present but somewhat rare. It is often called chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), when referring to adolescents with chronic fatigue.
When children and young adults have CFIDS the symptoms usually include:
- Serious overall fatigue.
- Problems neurologically which cause a number of other problems.
- Dizziness or light-headed feeling.
- Chills, fever and/or rash.
Differences Between CFS and CFIDS
There is a difference in the explanation of the symptoms of CFS/CFIDS in adults than children. Often a communication barrier is the main problem in properly diagnosing. Adults are better able to explain their symptoms/feelings, especially when it comes to memory loss. Memory loss is also a characteristic to CFIDS but it is most often associated with problems at school and retaining new information for children. Children are not as able to explain memory loss as adults.
Many times CFIDS can be misdiagnosed due to the symptoms it brings. It may be more difficult for a child to explain all of the feelings and symptoms they are experiencing. Many doctors or pediatricians may think that a child is having signs of emotional disorders when first hearing of the symptoms a child is showing. This could be because of a communication difficulty between the parents and the child, as well as the parent conveying the message to the doctor.
How Does it Begin in Children?
For most children, the signs and symptoms of CFIDS quickly develop, bringing a series of symptoms all at once. Younger children have a slower, gradual onset of symptoms than older children. CFIDS mostly occurs in the teen years for many adolescents. It is more likely to happen to teenagers than young children.
An adolescent might report that he or she is more frequently tired, muscles ache, throat hurts and the whole body feels weak. These are a number of onset feelings that might cue someone that it is CFIDS. Sometimes these feelings can follow an illness, such as the flu.
Can it Really Be CFIDS?
Some research suggests that children and adolescents often do not have CFIDS as common as what people believe and are skeptical of some diagnosis of it.
Some possible explanations of what adolescents could be doing and how they disguise it as CFIDS are if, one or more of the parents have a chronic illness or disease (sometimes CFS) and the child is imitating the parents” behavior. The child sees the way the adult acts and follows it. The child may also have issues psychologically with school. If a child is having trouble with school or is having trouble with classmates in school, he or she may try to avoid school by using CFIDS. Another is that children may use it as a way to stop their parents from fighting. The longer the child is “ill”, the less the parents will fight.
That research is not saying that CFIDS does not exist, because there are some children who have the disease. It is just cautioning parents, teachers and doctors to reevaluate the situation.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is somewhat prevalent in adolescents who are typically pre-teens or teenagers. CFS is most commonly found in older adults and can be treated for both adults and adolescents.
Learn more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome here.
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/publications/adolescents.htm
http://www.cfids.org/youth/articles/medical/w97-6.asp
