Lethargy after sleep in an 8-year-old child. Constant sleepiness in a child: why does a preschool child want to sleep all the time? Wrong daily routine

A child's growing body needs strong healthy sleep. But how do you understand where sleep is normal and where it is excessive? Why does the child have increased sleepiness? Read our article.

How long should a child under 3 sleep?

In order for mothers to know when to worry, we present a table of sleep norms for a child from 1 to 3 years old.

If your baby's routine has minor deviations from this norm (up to half an hour), then you probably shouldn't worry. However, if the deviations are significant, if drowsiness in a child manifests itself even immediately after waking up, this may be the first bell. Below we will describe possible reasons child's sleepiness.

Nervous, restless night's sleep

Watch your child: is he dreaming, is he afraid to sleep without light? Does he often wake up at night? Is it easy to wake him up in the morning? Perhaps the baby is simply afraid to tell you about his fears and nightmares that prevent him from sleeping at night. Talk to your child.

Reduced hemoglobin content

• Sources of iron: fish, yolk, oatmeal, black bread, legumes, soybeans, dill, lettuce, parsley, peaches, apples;
• Vitamin C: vegetables and fruits. This vitamin helps the body absorb iron.

Low blood pressure

Maybe your baby is constantly low blood pressure– the main symptom of vegetative-vascular dystonia. You should not self-medicate; take your baby to a doctor for examination. Echinacea tincture helps increase blood pressure, but do not give it to your child without a doctor's recommendation.

A healthy baby is active, cheerful and inquisitive. Lethargy in a child makes parents think about his condition. Infants, especially in the first months of life, sleep a lot, but at the same time, they actively develop and grow. Any changes in the baby's behavior are a serious cause for concern. The course of the disease can develop rapidly in a small, fragile organism due to an imperfect immune system. Sometimes parents make a huge mistake, believing that their child is lethargic. normal symptom, for example, during teething, or after vaccination, and this is not a cause for concern. At this time, immunity decreases significantly and infection occurs.

Lethargy in newborns

The neonatal period lasts from the birth of the baby until six weeks of his life. Adaptation to the surrounding world occurs, as well as further development all organs and systems. A newborn baby sleeps for a long time, about twenty hours a day, with short breaks for feeding. In some cases, the baby finds it difficult to breastfeed and begins to become weaker and sleep more. Increased sleepiness may be a manifestation of lethargy due to insufficient nutrition and dehydration.

Doctor's advice. It is necessary to carry out control weighing before and after breastfeeding throughout the day to avoid the consequences associated with systematic malnutrition of the baby

Every 3 hours it is necessary to put the baby to the breast so that he feels the difference between hunger and satiety, and also learns to suck out a sufficient amount of milk for his growth and development.

You should immediately consult a doctor if your newborn, in addition to drowsiness and lethargy, experiences symptoms such as:

• Fever.
• The crying is weak and quiet.
• It is impossible to wake up the child.
• The amount of urine and the frequency of urination have decreased, less than five times a day. To avoid confusion, you can put a dry paper napkin in the diaper.
• Dry mouth and eyes.
• Absence or weakness of the sucking reflex.
• Feces green or foamy.
• Stool with streaks or blood clots.
• Lack of bowel movements for at least a day.
• The skin has a bluish or yellow tint.
• Skin turgor has decreased (when pinched, the skin straightens very slowly).
• Convulsions appeared.

These manifestations may indicate extremely dangerous conditions for the child. pathological conditions, such as: complicated viral, bacterial, intestinal infections, dehydration, heart, kidney and liver diseases.

Lethargy in infants

Infancy begins after the neonatal period and continues until twelve months. The baby is growing quickly, gaining weight and developing. Organs and systems are not fully formed and the body is still adapting to the surrounding world. Diseases in infants may appear, at first glance, without symptoms; the child is not able to complain and explain his illness.

Lethargy may be present in the baby infancy during teething, the presence of intestinal, viral infections and many other ailments. High temperature is an inseparable companion to drowsiness, weakness and lethargy in children. It is also a manifestation various pathologies. All inflammatory processes cover children's body They develop very quickly and at lightning speed.

Important! High temperature in infants (above 38˚C) is a serious reason to urgently call an ambulance. Hyperthermic syndrome may develop, which manifests itself as convulsions and negatively affects the child’s brain and heart.

Diseases that cause lethargy in infants, along with other symptoms, and are the reason for visiting a doctor, are shown in the table below.

Acute intestinal infection. Lethargy is always present during an acute intestinal infection. Children under one year of age are susceptible to this disease. An intestinal infection is often confused with a condition that occurs in a child during teething, and for this reason, parents do not always consult a doctor.

An intestinal infection manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• Pain in the abdomen (when pressure is applied to the abdomen, the child begins to cry heavily and pulls his knees to his stomach).
• High temperature.
• Frequent stools of a liquid consistency, greenish in color with mucus (in healthy child chair yellow consistency resembles porridge).
• Refusal to eat.
• There may be vomiting, but the baby will not always vomit with an intestinal infection. This symptom appears with moderate or severe disease.

Intestinal infection, like any other, is acute in infants. If all of the above symptoms occur, you should try to give your child clean boiled water, as often as possible, in small portions, and immediately consult a doctor.

Important! If there is no urine for six hours, the appearance of feces traces of blood, loss of consciousness, dry skin, sunken fontanelle, you should call immediately ambulance. These are signs of dehydration, a dangerous condition for babies.

Lethargy and weakness may be present with diseases such as:

• allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia, sore throat, after vaccinations. And it is symptoms of serious diseases, such as meningitis, meningoccemia, sepsis.

Lethargy in young and older children

After one year and up to 6-7 years, the child goes through the period of early childhood. After the age of seven, the next stage of growing up begins, called childhood. The little person is no longer so vulnerable to infections and becomes stronger and more resilient. His body has completely adapted to the world around him, and the baby begins to explore everything around him with interest. The appearance of lethargy in a child at this age, warning sign, which may indicate both the development of diseases and the impact external factors. Almost all of the above pathologies that cause lethargy in infants can also appear in older children. Of course, they will not develop so quickly. A slight fever, cough, or runny nose will no longer cause fear and panic among parents or heightened anxiety among the doctor. But still, the risk of various diseases always present.

False croup. Viral infections may be complicated false croup in children from one to 4-5 years. This is a condition in which, against the background colds the larynx narrows and suffocation occurs, life-threatening child.

Important! Dry barking cough, rapid loud breathing, restlessness, shortness of breath, pale skin, blueness in the mouth, lethargy - all these symptoms quickly progress and lead to suffocation. The child must receive immediate medical attention

Before the ambulance arrives, parents need to free the child from tight clothing and give an antiallergic drug in the form of syrup in accordance with age dosage(eg Claritin). Take the baby to the bathroom, turn on hot water and ask to inhale the steam generated from the water.

Also, lethargy, apathy, high fever, nausea at this age can occur due to childhood infections.

For example, such as: rubella, chicken pox, scarlet fever.

If lethargy and vomiting appear in a child without fever, you should definitely consult a doctor. Perhaps this is an intestinal infection or a malfunction gastrointestinal tract. Head injuries can also cause these symptoms. Drug poisoning should not be ruled out.

Important! All medications available in the house must be stored out of the reach of children. A baby may eat brightly coated tablets, mistaking them for tasty candy.

Also, if lethargy appears without fever, increased sleepiness, weakness, it is necessary to reconsider the child’s daily routine and nutrition. Perhaps he consumes few vitamins and protein foods. Or does not get enough sleep, feels overexerted and heavy load at school.

You should always consult a doctor if lethargy appears in a child of any age. Especially in combination with high fever, vomiting and weakness. If the above symptoms appear in infants and newborns, you should immediately call an ambulance. The condition in infants during teething requires special attention: various infections can be associated with it.

When an adult gets sick, it is unpleasant and sometimes dangerous, but health problems in a child are twice as worrying. If a beloved child is suffering, then every parent will try to do everything for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately, in pediatric practice there is a lot of pathology with various symptoms. And one of the common signs indicating problems in the body is weakness in the child. Why it occurs, what it is accompanied by and how you can help with it - these are the main questions that anxious parents are looking for answers to.

The feeling of fatigue, when there is practically no strength to do usual things, is most likely familiar to many. But its origin is often radically different depending on the situation. The reasons can be quite trivial or very serious. The first group consists of conditions that have a completely physiological explanation. These include:

• Physical or mental fatigue.
• Changing your daily routine.
• Poor nutrition.
• Hormonal changes.
• Pregnancy.

It's no secret that muscle weakness– a sign of normal fatigue after intense physical activity. Children may experience this when their activity level exceeds their constitutional capacity, for example, when playing in sports sections or after independent training, especially for beginners. Yes, and an ordinary game in the yard with peers or intense school curriculum often accompanied by a similar symptom.

If a child goes to bed late, then the next morning he will probably feel tired and not rested. His body just hasn’t had time to recover yet. Sleeping too long is also not useful, since after it many people feel exhausted. Biorhythm disruption also occurs when flying to other climate zones.

During the period of growth, there is an increased consumption of energy substrates, and during malnutrition they become smaller, which also provokes the phenomenon under consideration. And the period of puberty is also accompanied by hormonal changes, so the child may be plagued by morning sleepiness and absent-mindedness at school. A pronounced restructuring of the body is also observed in girls during pregnancy, because currently the fertile age already begins at 14 years. Then fatigue is associated in particular with meeting the needs of the growing fetus.

However, keeping in mind physiological changes, should definitely be excluded dangerous conditions, which are pathological. And, alas, there are many of them. Among them it is worth mentioning the following:

• Infectious diseases.
• Blood pathology (anemia, leukemia).
• Diseases thyroid gland.
• Neurocirculatory dystonia.
• Electrolyte disorders (hypokalemia, hypercalcemia).
• Myasthenia.
• Narcolepsy.
• Depression.

Thus, the source of fatigue is in inflammatory, metabolic, neuropsychic or other disorders. The consequences of taking certain medications (for example, sedatives, tranquilizers and antiallergic drugs) cannot be excluded. Each case requires careful differential diagnosis, but it is carried out only by a qualified specialist. Therefore, if parents notice that the child has suddenly become lethargic and not as active as before, then it is imperative to seek help. medical care to find out the cause of this condition.

The causes of fatigue and decreased physical activity in a baby can be both physiological and pathological changes in the body.

Symptoms

If you notice any health problems in your child, it is important to go through comprehensive examination. And it starts with identifying the symptoms. The doctor will conduct a survey, during which complaints, including parental ones, will become clear. Next, a physical examination is performed to determine objective clinical signs of pathology. Fatigue is felt equally by everyone. This symptom is described by the following categories:

• Weakness.
• Fatigue.
• Brokenness.
• Drowsiness.
• Malaise.

And according to medical terminology, it is called asthenia. Parents notice that the child’s mood decreases and he becomes less active physically or mentally. He may have learning problems, inattention and absent-mindedness. All this requires additional examination and differential diagnosis.

Infectious diseases

When fever and weakness appear, you should think about some kind of inflammatory disease. Most often it is of infectious origin. Respiratory viral pathology is widespread. ARVI and influenza are characterized by intoxication syndrome, which is precisely manifested by general disorders:

• Fever.
• Increased fatigue.
• Aches in the body (bones, muscles, joints).
• Headaches.
• Decreased appetite.
• Low mood.

But the main criterion for the disease in this case is elevated temperature. In addition, respiratory pathology does not exist without catarrhal symptoms– cough, runny nose and sore throat – and enlarged regional lymph nodes. Similar manifestations are also typical for “childhood” infections, which include measles, scarlet fever, and rubella. Intoxication is also observed with bacterial diseases(angina, pneumonia, dysentery, salmonellosis, tuberculosis), and asthenic syndrome is also characteristic of the recovery period. In fact, the list of infectious diseases is very wide, but each of them has some specific manifestations that help in diagnosis.

Blood pathology

If infectious agent causes the body to react in the form of fever, then blood diseases are accompanied by fatigue of a different origin. Its mechanism is to disrupt the amount shaped elements– erythrocytes and leukocytes. In the first case, there is a lack of main oxygen carriers, which leads to tissue hypoxia. In addition to general fatigue, this is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Pale and dry skin.
• Increased heart rate.
• Shortness of breath.
• Change in taste.
• Brittle hair and nails.

If we're talking about about leukemia, the origin of weakness is described by many factors: concomitant anemia, metabolic disorders, the addition of infections, weight loss, and the influence of chemotherapy. At the same time, many lymph nodes enlarge, immunity decreases, immature blood cells can be deposited in the skin (leukemids).

Diseases of the hematopoietic system are a dangerous pathology that can develop in childhood and adolescence.

Thyroid diseases

Muscle weakness also appears in patients with thyroid dysfunction. This symptom is characteristic of both thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism. In the first state, increased catabolism (breakdown) of molecules occurs in muscle tissue which is accompanied by emaciation and atrophic processes. It is difficult for the child to walk, climb stairs, or get up from a sitting position. The upper extremities are predominantly affected, which is called thyrotoxic myopathy.

Hypothyroidism occurs against the background of a decreased level of thyroid hormones in the blood. This situation is the opposite of the one described: the basal metabolism slows down, and the muscles experience energy starvation. In addition to fatigue, patients complain of drowsiness, decreased mood, deterioration of memory and attention. Children perform worse at school, lose their usual activity, and their body weight increases. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Reduced pressure.
• Bradycardia (slow heart rate).
• Tissue swelling (myxedema).
• Chilliness of the limbs.
• Constipation and flatulence.

Thus, thyroid diseases are characterized by changes in hormone levels, which leads to energy metabolism disorders and disruption of many body functions.

Neurocirculatory dystonia

With vegetative-vascular dysfunction, fatigue develops due to nervous and circulatory disorders. This disease is of a functional nature and may be associated with psycho-emotional stress. Among the main symptoms, in addition to weakness, the following can be noted:

• Increased heart rate.
• Stitching pain in the precordial area.
• Decrease or increase in pressure.
• Increased sweating.
• Chilliness of the limbs.
• Headaches.
• Dizziness.
• Feeling of lack of air.
• Feeling anxious.
• Insomnia or drowsiness.

As we can see, the clinical picture of neurocirculatory dystonia is quite polymorphic and nonspecific. Violation of functional relationships in certain centers of the brain leads to disorders in the functioning of many systems. But there is no organic (structural-morphological) basis under them.

Vegetovascular (neurocirculatory) dystonia is widespread functional disease, V clinical picture which cannot be avoided without asthenic syndrome.

Electrolyte disorders

The origin of muscle weakness is closely related to the balance of intracellular ions, in particular potassium and calcium. It is a decrease in the first and an increase in the second that leads to fatigue. Most often this is observed in the lower extremities, and additional signs include:

• Numbness and tingling of the skin (paresthesia).
• Cardiac arrhythmias.
• Decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting.
• Irritability, lethargy, apathy.
• Thirst and polyuria (increased urine output).

Due to prolonged hypercalcemia, salt deposition in the kidneys is observed, which subsequently leads to diathesis and urolithiasis. Severe potassium deficiency can lead to paralysis of muscles, including the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm, causing breathing problems.

Myasthenia gravis

If muscle weakness occurs without fever, and other diseases are excluded, then the doctor may think about myasthenia gravis. This is a pathology that, as a rule, has an autoimmune or congenital origin. Neuromuscular disorders are increasingly being identified in children preschool age. TO characteristic features Myasthenia gravis may include:

• Oculomotor disorders: drooping eyelids (ptosis), double vision.
• Weakness in the proximal (upper) limbs.
• Bulbar disorders (choking on food, nasal voice).

Fatigue increases with physical activity. Characteristic difficulties will be when getting up from a chair, walking up the stairs, or raising your arms. But after rest they go away. Over time, the disturbances become more pronounced.

Narcolepsy

Enough rare disease is considered narcolepsy, which is characterized by attacks of irresistible drowsiness in daytime. Its source has not been fully determined; a deficiency of certain biogenic peptides in the brain is assumed to play a role. The characteristic symptoms of the disease are the following:

• Sudden attacks of falling asleep.
• A sharp loss of muscle tone with preserved consciousness (catalepsy).
• Brief paralysis upon awakening (inability to move).
• Hallucinations when falling asleep and waking up (hypnagogic and hypnapompic).

This condition brings a lot of inconvenience to patients and can create real danger(for example, when working with moving mechanisms and driving vehicles).

Depression

Asthenic syndrome is very characteristic of depression. This is a psycho-emotional disorder that is also characteristic of childhood. Its signs are:

• Problems with appetite.
• Insomnia or constant sleepiness.
• Irritability or anger.
• Frequent mood swings.
• Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.
• Lack of desire to communicate with peers.
• Thoughts about suicide.

Enuresis (bedwetting) and behavioral disorders are also equivalent to a depressive state. Frequent somatic symptoms There are headaches or abdominal pain, itchy skin, and vague discomfort in the body. But depression must be distinguished from ordinary sadness and sadness, which have a completely understandable explanation (for example, the loss of a loved one).

It is necessary to understand whether asthenia has a physical basis or is it associated with psycho-emotional disorders, among which childhood and adolescent depression occupies an important place.

Additional diagnostics

Considering the rather impressive list of causes of asthenic syndrome, it helps to find out what exactly led to the appearance of fatigue and drowsiness additional methods research. Necessary diagnostic measures are determined by the preliminary conclusion of the doctor, formed on the basis of clinical data, and may include:

• General blood and urine tests.
• Blood biochemistry (indicators of inflammation, immunogram with antibodies to infections, serum iron, thyroid hormones, electrolytes).
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland and internal organs.
• Bone marrow puncture.
• Muscle biopsy.

Each situation requires careful study and comparison with similar conditions. A consultation is often required during the diagnosis process. related specialists: infectious disease specialist, hematologist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, psychoneurologist. And only after receiving all the necessary information can we say why the child developed weakness and what to do to eliminate it. Treatment tactics, of course, depend on the origin of the symptoms and are determined only by the doctor. And the parents’ task is to follow the specialist’s recommendations in everything.

Symptoms

Sometimes a child may seem too tired and not want to play or do anything.

May go to bed earlier than usual, experience constant unusual sleepiness, or have difficulty getting out of bed.

In some cases, fatigue, drowsiness, or lethargy may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, or problems with the sense of smell or taste. Other symptoms may also occur: pale skin, inflammation lymph nodes on the neck, etc.

Possible Causes

A child may get tired either from an incorrect lifestyle and routine, or due to illness.

Reasons related to lifestyle.Lack of sleep. It turns out that many children don't sleep enough. As a result, they feel overwhelmed, cannot concentrate at school, sometimes cannot even sit in class with with open eyes. Children under 12 years old usually need 9-10 hours of sleep a night (or more). Teenagers also take longer to sleep than adults. Intense schoolwork and ill-considered rest can cause lack of sleep. Hence the lethargy, apathy, loss of interest in learning and in life in general. So if your child seems unusually tired, think about his sleep first.Excessive physical activity or trying to do too many things, for example, schoolwork plus work after school. Although children have more energy than many adults, there is a limit to everything. If your child seems particularly lethargic or lethargic, you may want to reduce the amount of physical activity. Several gymnastics lessons plus a few hours active games in the yard they can do their job.

Malnutrition. Children, like adults, will run out of energy if they do not consume enough calories and nutrients to meet their energy needs. Think about it: maybe your child just isn't eating enough? Or maybe he doesn't eat the food he needs, for example, only candy and other sweets. Or perhaps he is anemic, a condition resulting from insufficient intake of iron-containing foods such as meat, greens, vegetables and iron-rich fruits. Many teenagers do not like school lunches; they replace good nutrition intercepting sandwiches. Such habits lead to malnutrition. Children should eat a well-balanced diet with a total daily caloric intake consisting of at least 55% complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables, not simple sugars in candy); about 15-20% proteins (meat, fish and poultry); and no more than 30% fat.

Obesity. Obese children tend to have less energy and are less active than children of normal weight.

Sedentary lifestyle. Some children prefer to read books, strum the guitar, or play on the computer. And they don’t want to play sports. These are not necessarily lazy children. They simply chose the path of non-physical use of their energy. Of course, children should be encouraged to engage in intellectual, musical and other activities. After all, people who engage in mentally stimulating activities with early age, often achieve the greatest success in life.

On the other hand, for good health need regular physical exercise. Even a future musician, writer or mathematician should be encouraged to take part in physical education. A physically weak person, as a rule, cannot count on good results in creative work.

Medicines. Fatigue is often a consequence of overuse of medications, e.g. antihistamines, tranquilizers. In many cases, even pharmaceutical medications recommended by a doctor can cause fatigue.

Diseases and other health conditionsHere are some of the most common medical reasons unusual tiredness or drowsiness.Allergies. During pollen season, when plants bloom, after contact with animal dander or other allergens, your child may feel tired along with the usual allergy symptoms, such as nasal discharge or sneezing. Fatigue can also be caused by medications used to treat allergies; another reason is lack of sleep due to an allergic reaction.

Psychological states. Significant fatigue may be the result of depression, excessive worry, deep grief after the loss of a loved one, the threat of parental divorce, fear of failure at school, or anxiety about upcoming new events in the child's life.

Chronic diseases. Heart failure, congenital heart disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, Graves' disease, cancer, low thyroid function, inflammatory diseases intestines can cause weakness or be a major cause of fatigue.

Note. The most severe diseases are, fortunately, infrequent. In most cases, the cause of your baby's lethargy will be something that can be easily corrected.

Other serious illnesses. Chronic or long-term fatigue may result from viral hepatitis, infectious mononucleosis or tuberculosis.

The two most common types of viral hepatitis (liver inflammation) are hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Hepatitis A is transmitted by contact through feces or through contaminated water or food (most often milk). In this regard, kindergartens may be high-risk areas. Signs and symptoms of hepatitis A begin to appear a month after infection. The child experiences excessive fatigue, a slightly elevated temperature, headaches, upset stomach, vomiting, and changes in taste or smell. After a few days, you may experience pain in the right side, dark urine, and light (putty-like) stools. Hepatitis B is more common among newborns and is possibly transmitted to children through mothers who carry the virus. The disease can also be spread through contaminated blood or sexual contact with an infected person. What is more characteristic of this form of the disease is not fever and fatigue, but muscle pain, Skin Rash and Arthritis Symptoms.

Infectious mononucleosis - a disease common among adolescents. Its signs are fever, fatigue or weakness, sore throat, swollen tonsils, inflammation of the tonsils, enlarged liver and spleen. Rash and stomach pain are more common in children than in adults. Young children, ages four and under, can sometimes also contract the disease. They are more likely to have a throat infection and a rash.

Tuberculosis, formerly a very common infectious bacterial disease that usually affects the lungs. It is currently under control in the most developed countries. However, recently in the United States, for example, outbreaks of this terrible disease have been noted again. Therefore, you need to be vigilant towards its symptoms. In the first phase of the disease, a person may experience fatigue, some elevated temperature, weight loss and heavy sweating. Later, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and a cough may appear, sometimes with greenish or bloody discharge.

AIDS.

Danger level

Attention: If the only symptom If your child is tired or lethargic, you should check your child's lifestyle, especially how much time he sleeps and how he eats. There is probably no need to see a doctor in this case. Just make appropriate changes to your child's daily routine and see if his condition improves. If excessive or unusual fatigue persists after lifestyle changes, consult your doctor for advice.

In addition, if fatigue is clearly associated with some short-term illness such as a cold or minor allergic symptoms, then you can probably deal with this problem at home.

Carefully: Call a doctor if:

Fatigue is accompanied by an increase in temperature to 38.5 ° C and it is clear that this temperature cannot be associated with an illness such as influenza;

You may not be able to determine the severity of fatigue or other symptoms, especially if you have a sore throat.

Dangerous: Call a doctor immediately if you have the following symptoms:

Temperature over 38.5°C;

You have found inflamed tonsils, swollen glands in the neck; tender, swollen abdomen on the right (liver inflammation); in a child headache, nausea or vomiting, altered sense of smell or taste; jaundice has developed, the child has a frozen gaze, he cannot concentrate; he is drowsy and has no interest in what is happening around him.

Urgently!

Tell your doctor immediately and send your child to the hospital if:

There are any abnormalities in cardiac activity, for example, arrhythmic fast or slow heartbeats;

The child was so tired that he did not want to move or walk;

The child is about to lose consciousness or has already lost consciousness;

The child has seizures.

Parents' actions

If a child's fatigue and illness are the only symptom and it may be related to their lifestyle, parents should immediately address the problem. Of course, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor about this.

If a child aged 12 years or younger frequently appears tired and sleeps less than eight hours, it is almost certain that the fatigue is mainly due to lack of sleep. Convince your child of the need to go to bed earlier and sleep 9-10 hours. If the child sleeps enough, he will wake up on his own without the help of his parents or an alarm clock.

Maybe you think the problem is related to nutrition? If so, then seek help from nutritionists and work through a menu that would include large number fruits, vegetables, lean meats, prepared to the child’s taste.

On the other hand, if you notice additional Symptoms, such as fever or swollen tonsils, you should not settle for home remedies. Contact your doctor and let him take care of this problem.

Doctor's actions

The pediatrician will review the child's medical history, including information about any emotional or psychological disorders, and also social problems problems that your child or your family is facing. The doctor will perform a complete physical examination. He can do a blood test, conduct a heterophil test (blood test for infectious mononucleosis), urine test, check ESR, stool, tuberculin test, chest x-ray, check the activity of the thyroid gland, do a sweat test, and conduct tests for hepatitis antigens and antibodies (which shows the degree of immunity, or the body's protective response to the disease).

The doctor may conclude that the cause of the child's fatigue is simple and easily eliminated. For example, you will only need to make one or two adjustments to your lifestyle (sleep or diet) or treat a simple illness such as the flu. If this happens, your doctor will give you instructions on how to treat your child at home.

If the disease is more severe, other measures will be required. For example, when infectious mononucleosis Your doctor may prescribe treatment with corticosteroids to reduce liver inflammation and reduce swelling of the tonsils and lymph nodes. Suggests that you pay greater attention to your child's adequate sleep, rest, fluid intake and a good balanced diet until the severity of the illness subsides.

For infectious mononucleosis, the doctor will prescribe bed rest. To prevent damage to the spleen, he will in any case suggest giving up active sports games. In the case of hepatitis, it is important to determine the type and then urgently prescribe immunoglobulin and vaccination to the sick person. Children who have hepatitis A will need immunoglobulin (gamma globulin) for 14 days. People with hepatitis B should receive hepatitis B immune globulin within 24 hours and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine if they are not already protected by it within seven days.