|
Fatigue is a common symptom among teens. There are a number of causes for fatigue, including stress, lack of sleep or interrupted sleep, depression, "mono," chronic illnesses, low thyroid, and anemia (low red blood cells). Sometimes, teens have fatigue for months or even years and may develop symptoms of "chronic fatigue syndrome."
One of the commonest cause in teens of extreme tiredness is "Mono," or "the kissing disease." Some of the other signs of mononucleosis are fever, sore throat, headache, and swollen glands. Mono usually is diagnosed by a blood test called the "Mono spot." The best treatment for mono is getting plenty of rest and eating a healthy diet. Most people get better within a month. Teens should not play any contact sports such as soccer, football, or lacrosse during the month after they get mono to lessen the chance of a ruptured spleen. Fortunately, a teen can get mono only once but the mono blood test may be positive for a long time.
Tiredness can also be caused by anemia, a common condition among teens, especially girls. Anemia means that an adolescent does not have enough red blood cells. The most common causes are not enough iron in the diet or, for girls, losing iron because of heavy menstrual periods. With anemia, an adolescent may feel weak and more tired than usual and not do as well at school or in sports. An adolescent may also appear pale. Anemia needs to be diagnosed by a complete blood count (called a CBC). To prevent iron deficiency anemia, teens should be getting enough iron from one's diet and/or taking a multivitamin with iron. If iron deficiency anemia is diagnosed, additional iron is needed.
Low thyroid is another cause of feeling fatigued, but it is not terribly common. A blood test can help make the diagnosis.
Another very common cause of fatigue is not getting enough sleep. Teens frequently have lots of homework that keeps them up late during the week, and then they may have to get up at 5:30 or 6 AM every morning; on the weekend they may stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning and not feel like getting up until noon on Saturday and Sunday. The many changes in the sleep pattern and stress during the week can lead to fatigue.
Depression (feeling sad or "blue") is another very common causes of fatigue in teens. An adolescent who continues to feel sad and can't enjoy friends, family, and new challenges should be seen by a health care provider or mental health clinician.
A medical evaluation is important for teens with fatigue to see if there is a specific cause and treatment.
|
