Fatigue - For Parents, Carers and Trusted Adults
When your child or young person feels exhausted, it can be tempting for them to rest excessively and do nothing at all. Then, when they have a good day and feel more energised, they may attempt to catch up on all the activities they’ve missed. This can lead to a cycle of overexertion (the ‘Boom’) followed by a period of extreme fatigue and recovery (the ‘Bust’).
If your child or young person is in a Boom and Bust cycle, they might spend days at a time not doing anything they enjoy whilst we recover from the Boom days. This can even result in days off school whilst they recover. It can make it hard for them to balance all the things they want and need to do, and it can be hard to see any progress towards feeling better and doing more.
Managing Fatigue
A good way to manage fatigue is to do a little bit at a time – this is called pacing. This means your child or young person doing some activity when they are feeling good, but making sure that they are not using up all of their energy. Instead of using all their energy at once, help your child or young person to break activities into smaller, manageable pieces. Encourage them to engage in something enjoyable each day, even on their worst days, to help keep their energy levels more balanced. This will flatten the Boom and Bust curve, allowing them to do a little of what they enjoy each day. For more information on Increasing Activity, see our page Thinking about Increasing Activity.
An activity diary can be a valuable tool in managing fatigue and helping your child or young person to plan out their activities throughout the day and week. By planning, prioritising, and pacing their activities, you and your child or young person can keep their fatigue at a safe level and ensure they avoid the ‘Bust’.
Managing fatigue is exhausting in itself. It’s important to recognise that neither you or your child or young person need to navigate this alone. Be patient with the process and your child’s progress. There will be good days and bad days, and that’s OK. Additional support may be available from family, teachers or medical professionals.
As a parent/carer/trusted adult, it’s important to be kind to yourself too. Supporting a child or young person with fatigue can be emotionally and physically draining. Make sure you are taking time to look after yourself. Have a look at our page on Coping with Difficult Thoughts and Feelings for some ideas and resources.