BMJ  2005;330:1012-1015 (30 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7498.1012

Clinical review

ABC of adolescence

Fatigue and somatic symptoms

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Fatigue, headache, stomach ache, and backache are common. Large international surveys show that about 8% of adolescents report daily headaches, 10% daily backache, and 16% daily sleepiness in the mornings. Fatigue is even more common—about a third of both boys and girls have substantial fatigue four or more times a week.

View larger version (21K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Frequency of headache in the previous six months in 11-17 year olds in Europe. Adapted from: World Health Organization. Health behaviour in school-aged children, 1997-1998. Calverton, MD: Macro International, 2002

 

Competing demands in adolescence

Most adolescents with these symptoms do not seek help from their doctor. They can present diagnostic dilemmas when they do, however. In most cases, the symptoms reflect not an organic disorder but an imbalance between the increasing educational, social, and sports demands on young people and physiological "debts" owed to rapid growth and sexual development. Adolescents, for example, need more sleep than children and adults, yet social and . . . [Full text of this article]

Somatic symptoms

Headaches
Abdominal pain

Fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome
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Management of fatigue and somatic symptoms

Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic pain

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