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Chronic fatigue syndrome may be reason behind many school absenteeism: Study

June 16, 2017

Dr Charles Shepherd, medical adviser to the ME Association, said, ???We welcome the key messages to come out of this research because many children with ME/CFS are still having great difficulty in obtaining a diagnosis and as a result are not receiving the educational and social support that they require.??? ???In some cases, this results in children being forced to carry out tasks that are not going to help their recovery. Pediatricians and GPs, some of whom are still unaware of the fact that ME/CFS occurs in children and adolescents, clearly require training in how to diagnose and manage what can become a complex and serious neurological illness,??? he said.

Peter White, Professor of Psychological Medicine, Centre for Psychiatry, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London said, ???This well conducted study shows that schoolchildren who miss school without explanation fall between the stools of school and the health service, and do so for two main reasons: emotional ill health and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Both of these can delay or even prevent a child from reaching their educational and personal potential. As the authors suggest, we now need to confirm whether screening followed by treatment, such as provided in this study, can benefit these children.???

Trudie Chalder, Professor of Cognitive behavioral Psychotherapy, at King's College London and Director CFS Research and Treatment Unit, at South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, also said, ???The recovery rate of children with CFS/ME is good. It is important to treat early to prevent worsening disability. Good outcomes can be expected if children are referred to secondary care and given the right sort of support and advice. All [this is] very good news for children with CFS/ME and their families.???