Children experience fatigue due to a lack of sleep, a vitamin deficiency, overexertion or changes in the body due to growth. If these factors do not apply to your child but you are worried about her lack of energy, take her to a physician because there are serious illnesses that cause fatigue.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is blood-borne and affects the liver. There are about 250,000 children in the United States infected with this form of hepatitis. Infants are exposed to hepatitis C from infected mothers during the perinatal stage of life, and the incubation period for the virus lasts from six to nine weeks. If your child is experiencing fatigue as well as a loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice, diarrhea, light-colored stool or fever, have him tested for hepatitis C.
Epstein-Barr Virus
Infants are born with antibody protection provided by the mother, but when this protection wears off shortly after birth, babies can be infected with the Epstein-Barr virus. This virus is usually accompanied by symptoms that resemble other childhood illnesses such as fatigue, stomachache and fever.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus or MRSA is a strain of staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to many antibiotics. Signs that your child may have MRSA include fatigue, headache, muscle ache and trouble breathing. Staphylococcus aureus is bacteria that is found on your child's skin and may be in his nasal passages, but when the bacteria enters the body through an opening such as a sore or breathing tube, this causes a staph infection. Children with compromised immune systems are susceptible to MRSA infections and they can become serious when the bacteria is not localized and spreads systemically.
Kawasaki Disease
Kawasaki disease is most commonly found in children ages 1 to 2 years. This disease is not contagious and is rarely found in children over the age of 8 years. The cause of the disease is not known, but doctors believe it may be caused by infection from a virus or bacteria. Kawasaki disease is most likely to occur in the late winter and early spring. Symptoms include fatigue, a fever lasting more than five days, rash, swelling in the lips and tongue, redness in the eyes, hands, feet and lips; as well as swollen lymph nodes. Most children recover from Kawasaki disease and have no lasting effects, but damage to the coronary arteries has been known to occur.
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome afflicts children and common symptoms include tiredness, dizziness, stomach pain, rash, fever, chills and lightheadedness. This syndrome is misdiagnosed frequently as emotional and behavioral disorders. A physical and mental examination combined with a study of medical history is needed to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome in children.
