It is normal for children to get tired after doing strenuous activities or sleeping too late. By getting enough sleep, they will return to being as fit and enthusiastic as before.

However, if the child always seems tired, fussy, has no energy, and complains constantly, then parents need to be aware of more serious conditions.

Causes of fatigue in children

There are several health conditions that can cause children to often appear fatigued or tired, including:

Sleep disturbances

Staying up late or sleeping too late isn't the only factor that can make children tired. Frequent awakenings during sleep and sleep apnea can also contribute to fatigue.

Sleep apnea is a prevalent respiratory disorder during sleep. It involves temporary pauses in breathing for a few seconds, disrupting sleep quality.

Beyond fatigue, sleep apnea can impact a child's behavior, development, metabolism, and overall health.

Anemia

Anemia is a medical condition that commonly occurs in children. Causes of anemia include:

• Iron deficiency
• Deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B-12
• Abnormal red blood cells
• Failure of the spinal cord to produce red blood cells
• Infection
• Blood loss due to injury or bleeding
• In addition to fatigue, children with anemia look pale, often feel dizzy, have headaches, fuss, and impair their growth and development

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder in which the child's thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Children who are deficient in thyroid hormone tend to be less active, often feel tired, and experience weight gain, constipation, a weak pulse rate, and muscle cramps.

Heart condition

Heart issues typically develop in children from birth. This is a congenital condition that frequently manifests as additional symptoms like exhaustion, perspiration, trouble eating, irregular breathing, an irregular heartbeat, difficulty gaining weight, and bluish lips, tongue, or nails.

Asthma

Asthma in children is a long-term (chronic) lung disease that causes your child's airway to become sensitive to certain things (triggers). Triggers can vary, including allergies (pollen, dust, and animal dander), respiratory infections, exposure to air pollution, and weather changes.

The symptoms of asthma include wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue, and coughing.

Depression

Depression can affect children, and various factors can contribute to its onset, such as trauma, family circumstances, and physical health issues.

Children experiencing depression often exhibit symptoms such as:

• Fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Changes in sleep patterns (either excessive sleep or insomnia)
• Withdrawal from activities and social interactions
• Irritability or anger
• Persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Persistent guilt
• Increased crying
• Thought of self-harm or suicide

When should I see a doctor?

You need to take your child to the doctor if the child has been looking tired for more than 1-2 weeks. Record all other accompanying symptoms, family medical history, sleep patterns, diet, weight, and growth.

Your doctor may recommend tests and examinations such as blood tests, urine tests, X-rays, or even MRIs according to suspicion of certain conditions. If fatigue in children is related to depression, then you need to take your child to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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