What is in the Differential Diagnosis of Fatigue?
Discussion
Fatigue is a subjective feeling of decreased energy, tiredness or feeling of exhaustion. Lethargy is often used synonymously, but lethargy is a state of being drowsiness or sleepy, and implies mental status changes. Both can cause the person to be apathetic or less active.
Fatigue is a common state that almost everyone experiences multiple times in his or her lifetime. For most people it is a relatively acute or short-term chronic problem, often with a relatively easily identifiable problem cause, such as inadequate sleep, acute illness, or overexertion. For some, it can be less readily identifiable such as depression, anemia, or hypothyroidism or because of a chronic illness with its waxing and waning natural history or being under- or over-treated. Chronic fatigue and cause decreased quality of life, school or work problems, and depression.
It seems to many health care providers that adolescents and their parents complain about fatigue. This is not surprising as adolescents often do not get enough sleep, may be either overexerting themselves with activities or conversely be deconditioned because of little activity, be worried about school and other life issues, or not eat or drink consistently or are dieting. They may also be taking medications or drugs, have a chronic disease or are pregnant.
The keys to the evaluation of fatigue often lie in a detailed history and review of systems that can then guide laboratory evaluation and treatment. Laboratory testing c...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
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