Fatigue: How to Care for Your Child

Many kids experience fatigue at some point. It usually does not have a serious cause and improves with some lifestyle changes.

Fatigue (tiredness) can happen for many reasons, including:

• Not getting enough sleep.

• Getting too much or too little exercise.

• Not eating a nutritious diet.

• Stress.

• Certain medications.

• Certain medical conditions.

• Grief after a personal loss, such as the death of a loved one.

• Depression or anxiety.

The health care provider may have ordered blood tests to make sure that a health condition is not causing the tiredness. In most kids, fatigue improves with a healthy diet, the right amount of sleep and exercise, and managing stress.

• Encourage your child to get enough sleep:

  • Work with your child to set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time that will allow for more sleep.

  • Once in bed, your child should not watch TV, use electronics, or read.

  • Your child should avoid caffeine (found in soda, tea, coffee, and chocolate) in the afternoon and evening.

• Getting the right amount of exercise can help:

  • Your child should get some exercise each day.

  • Children should avoid exercise in the hours just before bedtime.

  • If your child has been getting too much exercise, follow the health care provider's directions for cutting back.

• Offer your child a healthy diet that includes:

  • Five servings a day of vegetables and fruits.

  • Protein from lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, or nuts.

  • Whole grains.

  • Low-fat dairy products.

  • Plenty of non-caffeinated fluids.

  • Very few fried foods, chips, candy, and sugary drinks.

• If your child is under stress, help make a plan to reduce it. Relaxation techniques like yoga can help.

Your child:

• Continues to have fatigue after following home care instructions for 2 weeks.

• Cannot attend work, school, or other activities because of fatigue.

• Develops new symptoms such as fever, headache, blurry vision, pain, constipation, or weakness.

• Loses or gains a lot of weight.

• Has blood in the urine (pee) or stool (poop), nosebleeds, or bleeding gums.

• Shows signs of depression such as losing pleasure in things he or she used to enjoy, loss of appetite, withdrawing from others, talking about death a lot, or often seeming irritable or sad.

Your child:

• Has difficulty breathing, chest pain, or an irregular heartbeat, or passes out.

• Talks about, plans, or tries to harm himself or herself or anyone else.