Chronic Fatigue Syndrome More Common Among Teens

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) was found to affect 2 percent of 16-year-olds particularly the girls, according to the research by the University of Bristol.

Science Daily reported that the researchers evaluated the condition of 5,756 participants in children of the 90's asking about their experience of unrelenting exhaustion. They discovered that the said medical condition was more common in girls between ages 13 and 16 particularly teens from poor families.

"This is an important study because it shows that CFS/ME is much more common in teenagers than previously recognized. Treatment at this age is effective for most children but few have access to treatment in the UK," Dr. Esther Crawley, the senior author of the research and a consultant pediatrician specializing in CFS/ME, said.

"CFS is a very debilitating illness which has huge impact on the lives of children and their families, and the results of our study underscore the need for future research into the causes of, and improved treatments for pediatric CFS," Dr.  Simon Collin, the lead author of the study, added.

Healthline defines Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or also termed as Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) is a devastating disorder that is exemplified by severe fatigue or tiredness that cannot be remedied with rest. According to theories, the causes of CFS are psychological stress, viral infection or combination of factors. It is difficult to diagnose because its causes are not really identified.

The symptoms of CFS include chronic insomnia, loss of memory, frequent headaches, feeling unrefreshed, frequent sore throat, multiple joint pains without redness and tender lymph nodes at armpits and neck.

Hence, CFS currently has no specific cure yet. Some lifestyle changes can be done to help reduce the symptoms, which include limiting the caffeine intake to have a better sleep and avoiding alcohol and nicotine intake. Likewise, try to avoid napping during the day so that you can sleep or rest at night -- a lot better.