Chronic fatigue in school

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is also known as ME (Myalgic Encepha-lomyelitis). You may have seen it written as CFS/ME. It is a chronic health condition, which cannot be helped by rest.

How common is it?

Around 50 to 100 in 100,000 children will have chronic fatigue syndrome, and it is most common in teenagers.

Young people with chronic fatigue feel tired most of the time. Often young people can feel exhausted for hours or even days after activities they may have once done easily. Other symptoms can include: headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, and not feeling refreshed after sleep.

This leads to children feeling sad or anxious, and lose confidence.

Fatigue can also affects processes, such as concentration, and memory. This can have an impact on their school work.

What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

Information processing

New information and concepts are more difficult to grasp. Children who could previously understand things after hearing them once, need repeated explanations.

Memory recall

Facts and information already learnt become more difficult to retrieve. Children may appear to have ‘forgotten’ what they already know and can become frustrated. Extra time and patience in the classroom is needed to manage this.

Word finding

Forming sentences, verbally and in written work is more difficult. Children may ‘trip over’ their words and take longer to produce written work because of this.

How can schools help with chronic fatigue syndrome?

Most children with mild or moderate chronic fatigue may manage quite well in school. Though they may be exhausted at the beginning and end of a school day.

Others with more severe symptoms may need to attend school on a reduced timetable or may need the support of the local home tuition service.

Children living with chronic fatigue will need those around them to be flexible, and sympathetic:

• Identify a named learning mentor that your child can meet with regularly. They can then also liaise with health services
• We recommend a part-time timetable and a staggered approach to returning to school, in negotiation with your child and family
• It is important to create a balance between core subjects and the more social and enjoyable aspects of school
• Moving between classrooms on a large campus can be exhausting. Pushing children with chronic fatigue beyond their limits is not helpful and may make symptoms worse
• Take a flexible approach towards P.E. This is often very demanding for children with chronic fatigue
• Be flexible with homework deadlines and reasonable adjustments for exams
• Wherever possible send work home if a child is absent
• A child may need a quiet room or the library to take breaks. This helpful at break and lunch times
• Allow your child to leave the classroom for a break if necessary. Have a card system which the person can carry to show staff can help to explain why they are not in class
• Allow your child to leave class early to go for lunch (with a friend) to avoid the rush. This also helps at the end of the school day

What do Sheffield Children’s offer?

Sheffield Children’s Hospital provide a specialist assessment and therapy service for children with chronic fatigue syndrome. A local paediatrician should refer any young person under the age of 16 years into the service. We accept referrals from GPs for young people over the age of 16 years. We offer advice and consultation to schools on the management of chronic fatigue in a school setting.

Please do not hesitate to get in contact with us for more information about how we can support in schools.