Researchers from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom found that nearly 2 percent of teenagers aged 16 years old suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) lasting more than six months. Additionally, nearly 3 percent of 16-year-old suffer from CFS which persists over three months.
Findings showed that on average, teens with CFS missed over half a day of school weekly.
The study is known to be the largest study of CFS or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in children to date, with 5,756 participants. The Bristol researchers found that teenager girls were twice as likely to have CFS compared to their male counterparts. The condition became more prevalent in teenage girls aged 13 to 16 years old.
The parents of the teenage participants were also asked about their experiences about the recurrent exhaustion. The team found that children whose families are going through greater adversities were more likely to suffer from severe fatigue. The finding is in direct contrast to the common notion that CFS is a "yuppie flu" or a "middle-class" health condition.
For the study, adversity definition included financial troubles, lack of emotional or practical support from the mother and poor housing conditions. However, the research team noted that the CFS diagnoses in the study were not made by health professionals. Rather, the CFS diagnoses was based on the results of the questionnaires answered by parents and their teenage children.
Dr. Esther Crawley, a consultant pediatrician who specializes in CFS/ME, highlighted that the study shows CFS/ME in teenagers is more common than previously thought. While CFS/ME treatments give during this particular age is effective for most patients, however, very few have access to such treatments in the UK.
"Children attending my specialist service at the Royal United Hospital in Bath only attend two days a week of school on average. This means that only the most severe cases are getting help," she said.
Also the study's senior author, Crawley stressed that pediatricians need to improve the way they identify CFS/ME, especially among children with backgrounds of adversity.
Lead author Dr. Simon Collins said that CFS is a very devastating health condition that carries a huge impact on the children's lives, including their families.
"The results of our study underscore the need for further research into the causes of, and improved treatments for, paediatric CFS," said Collin.
The findings were published in the journal Pediatrics on Jan. 25.
Photo: Meral Crifasi | Flickr
