Unusual fatigue is a frequent reason for contacting a pediatrician: sometimes the child himself complains that he gets tired quickly and often, sometimes parents notice various manifestations of the child’s fatigue - a decrease in his general activity, loss of interest in games, unwillingness to play sports. A child, coming from school, throws himself on the sofa, often falls asleep immediately and sleeps until he is awakened to feed. And sometimes school teachers note that the child’s performance has suddenly worsened, he has become absent-minded, cannot concentrate, and is overly excited.

At 4 - 5 years old, at 10 and in the younger teenage age, fatigue is expressed in different ways. A four-five-year-old kid can suddenly fall asleep in the middle of the day; in the afternoon classes in kindergarten, he is inattentive, inactive. The fatigue of a ten-year-old student becomes immediately noticeable because he begins to get poor marks in those subjects in which he has studied well so far, becomes generally more lethargic.

A thirteen-fourteen-year-old teenager shows both apathy and irritability, he, returning from school, falls into a chair, does not want anything, snaps in response to any remark, and the only thing that can be heard from him is: "Get off, I'm tired!"

All of the cases listed above force parents to turn to a pediatrician in the hope that he will prescribe some kind of miraculous “general restorative” that will immediately return their child to normal tone and normal vitality.

In fact, the problem is much more complicated, because its occurrence is dictated by a number of interrelated reasons, and the treatment of student fatigue requires a complete examination of the conditions of his life, education, and the environment in which he is located.

Of course, everything is interconnected, and physical fatigue, due to weakness after an illness, in particular, influenza, can also lead to mental and intellectual fatigue. Therefore, one must very diligently look for the causes of any physical fatigue. Many diseases are well known that lead to a weakening of the body and the appearance of a feeling of inescapable fatigue: hepatitis, infectious mononucleosis, some types of influenza are the most typical examples, but with such diseases, the gradual and then complete disappearance of fatigue is a sure sign of the beginning of recovery.

Even the mildest anemia can also cause fatigue and therefore requires treatment. The role of the physician is primarily to discover, if any, the purely medical cause of the child's fatigue.

But fatigue associated with illness is by no means the most common case, and one must persistently and actively seek its true cause.

One of these reasons can be lack of sleep, and not always only the TV is to blame for it. Some young children, four or five years old, are woken up too early by their mothers because these mothers have to go to work. Already by half past seven or eight in the morning, such children are delivered to the nanny, who then takes them to kindergarten. The "working day" for the baby lasts until half past seven in the evening, the hour when mom picks them up from kindergarten, where they have not slept a minute for all this time. Naturally, when they get home in the evening, they do not feel any desire to go to bed at half past seven, but on the contrary, they want to enjoy the presence of their parents, in particular, their father, who has hardly been seen since yesterday, and maybe longer. Such a life that causes fatigue, nervousness, unwillingness to go to bed on time, a life associated with the absence of parents for a whole day, is harmful for a small child and does not lead to anything good. Of course, I understand that the material conditions in which the parents are placed make them live that way. But I also know families who force their babies to lead such a life for weeks, when mothers could easily go to another job where they would be busy only half a day.

another reason is overwork of the child. It is most often observed in well-to-do families who have the opportunity to load their child with a variety of activities. Every hour of the child is scheduled: in addition to school, there is also music, sports, the law of God, and so on. Every minute from Monday morning to mid-afternoon on Saturday is accounted for, and on Saturday, immediately after lunch, the unfortunate person is put in a car and taken somewhere to “have fun” until Sunday midnight, after which everything starts all over again. Maybe such a life is acceptable for adults, but it is no good for a youth of 20, even less for ten-year-olds, and even less for six-year-olds.

A whole week passes, but there is not a single hour in it when a child could be alone with himself, dream, live his fantasies, tell himself some exciting story, and after all, every child, even if he does not talk about it himself he does not suspect this, he really needs just such a pastime.

School overloads, causing anxiety, becoming a cause for excessive anxiety, especially when the child wants to prove himself at all costs as best as possible in front of a very demanding teacher, can also not be neglected, speaking about the characteristic causes of child fatigue both in elementary school and and in high school.

Schooling now begins quite early, and a six-year-old child is required to constantly concentrate for 5-6 hours daily. This is too much for him!

When the children get older, in the third or fourth grade, they already have six or seven lessons a day, and again they require constant concentration and increased return. But it's so tiring even for a teenager of 13-14 years old, what can we say about those who are younger! In addition, after 3-4 hours of hard work, the child's attention inevitably decreases, and the idea that he can seriously and effectively work for another 3 hours is nothing more than an empty illusion.

By the end of the third quarter of the school year, in other words, by February-March, many children feel tired - not only because of overload at school, but also because of weather conditions - and this fatigue of the end of winter can just quite successfully treated with the help of "tonic" means.

Underload at school.

School education is organized completely wrong. Sometimes high school students, boys and girls of 16-17 years old, have to work less than their younger, thirteen-fourteen-year-old comrades, for whom the transition to the senior classes seems to be a very difficult and responsible task. Unfortunately, very often this transition actually becomes a serious test, because there is a certain dropout, selection into specialized classes, and all this is a heavy burden for the child, since his future depends on this.

But in high school, everything is completely different: the amount of homework depends to a large extent only on the quality of the teaching staff and their good will. It turns out that some children are obviously not loaded enough, and then boredom, doing nothing becomes the cause of their fatigue, while others, on the contrary, are too busy.

In addition, there is parental fatigue. When a mother is somewhat depressed, when she complains several times a week about her own fatigue or overload, this cannot but affect the state and lifestyle of the child: he involuntarily begins to complain too and really feels tired, which in this case manifests itself as a lack of inclination to do anything and - even more so - in great fatigue.

As you can see, the causes of fatigue are often psychological. When a doctor does not find any obvious reason for fatigue in a child who does not have any physical ailments, but he is sometimes sad, he does not want to play, go to visit friends, to the cinema, theater or circus, this makes one think of a depressive state , repression is no exception even for children of 8-10 years old and deserves to be dealt with very, very seriously.

I hope now it has become clear to you how difficult it is to find the true cause of a child’s fatigue and his rapid fatigue. However, a doctor cannot blindly write prescriptions. He should always try to find this cause and treat it precisely, he should always try to understand the very essence of the child’s individuality in order to figure out whether, in this case, fatigue is the result of internal discord, aversion to school, some difficulties in classes, contradictions in relationships with loved ones. or what is called the disorganization, disorganization, looseness of the child, is caused by discouragement.

It's no secret to any parent that kids are able to play too actively during the day and overwork in the evening. Also, children may complain of being very tired after school hours, and this is normal. But what if the child is constantly lethargic behavior? What is the cause of chronic overwork in childhood?

Fatigue is the result of a lack of energy. It is quite normal to experience it after a long period of activity. But the constant complaints of fatigue from the child indicate some disturbances in the body. There can be several factors leading to sluggish behavior in children, and each of them is quite serious.

Lack of nutrition and sleep

Also, an unbalanced diet often leads to the so-called anemic state, when the child's body lacks iron. A deficiency of this mineral triggers serious processes, reducing attention and motor activity. Children with iron deficiency anemia look pale and tired in the morning, and they need medical help. However, a lack of other minerals - magnesium, calcium and potassium, as well as vitamins of groups B and C, also leads to chronic fatigue. It is not for nothing that spring hypovitaminosis is associated with lethargic and irritable behavior.

Along with the diet, analyze the child's sleep. Most pediatricians believe that a huge number of children experience sleep deprivation in one way or another. Perhaps, if we take into account only the hours, the child sleeps enough. But we must understand that children under 12 years of age have an increased need for rest, although they themselves do not understand this and do not go to “nap” when they feel tired. If your child is still in their teens but is only getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night (which is normal for adults, but not for kids), consider napping or, if that's not possible, falling asleep earlier.

Stress

Chronic infections and hypoglycemia

If the baby's chronic fatigue occurs against the background of weight loss and intense thirst, this may indicate low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). It is characteristic that the child's behavior in this case becomes more active after eating, when the body receives a portion of sugar from food. Hypoglycemia is a rather dangerous phenomenon, therefore, at the slightest suspicion, consult a doctor immediately.

What can parents do?

The situation is different if your baby used to be cheerful and active, and fatigue and lethargy appeared only recently. Such changes cannot occur without a proper reason, and you should definitely contact your pediatrician. Tell him all your observations in detail. For example, whether the child is always depressed, or the peaks of his activity are replaced by severe fatigue. The specialist must identify the specific cause and suggest steps to fix the problem.

At the same time, you need to take general measures to improve the child's condition. These include the proper organization of sleep and nutrition, frequent walks in the fresh air, the intake of vitamin and mineral complexes and, of course, a warm, loving atmosphere in the family.

Dear friends, hello. The school year is in full swing, but instead of new knowledge and joyful discoveries, the student is haunted by indifference, fatigue, and apathy. What happens to him? Doesn't he want to study? In fact, your baby is just tired. It is impossible to ignore such a condition, otherwise it can lead to psychological as well as physical diseases. So why does a child get tired after school, and most importantly, how can he be helped? Let's try to understand this issue.

Remember your school years ... Why did you get tired outside the school walls? I want to highlight a few main reasons:

Now many parents want to raise a "genius" from their child, loading him to the maximum. New lessons are being introduced, textbooks are being replaced by computers, and the number of physical education lessons is being reduced. Again, a number of circles and sections. Instead of walking, the child often sits on the bed with a tablet or laptop. This is what your child is suffering from.

What should parents do?

First of all, you should determine the cause of the child's fatigue. I also advise you to undergo a medical examination to exclude pathologies and.

Pay attention to what your baby eats. Perhaps he does not eat in the cafeteria, buying useless snacks. Ask your class teacher watch what the student eats .

At home, try to give him more fruits, vegetables, fish, talk with him about the dangers and benefits of certain foods. Also talk to your doctor about taking a multivitamin.

The computer way of life is a problem of the younger generation. You should try to interest the child in active sports, walks, and other cognitive activities.

Be your own role model: go to fitness, swimming pool, theaters, cinemas, museums together. All these pastimes improve your relationship with your child and also charge you with positive and good mood.

Also try to make sure that the student himself chooses what he would like to do. Classes "from under the stick" will definitely not be able to bring a positive result.

Distribute the student's extracurricular time. Think about whether your child is too loaded? A bunch of clubs after class and lack of time for rest can only hurt .

• Remember about the obligatory walk in the fresh air, which should last at least 1 hour;
• Monitor the proper nutrition of the child;
• Do not overload your child with additional sections;
• Limit time in front of the computer or tablet;
• Find out if you have problems with peers or teachers to rule out psycho-emotional overload.

Remember, dear parents, that often complaints of fatigue are not just another whim of a child. You should carefully, with understanding, treat his problems and find out the reason for their appearance.

School life of any little man should be filled with new discoveries , achievements, full development, communication and, of course, joy, and not feelings of fatigue, and it is in your power to make this life beautiful.

I recommend every parent to visit Website of a child psychologist . Free consultations, seminars, trainings, books - this is a small part of what is on this site. Here, every mom and dad will find the perfect approach to raising happy kids.

I advise you to look holiday video with kids :

In the pursuit of fashion, most parents heavily load their children with extra classes and tutors. Children began to walk less in the fresh air, and the air in the city cannot be called healthy. Instead of outdoor games and communication, children sit in front of a TV and a computer, Botagoz Rakhimzhanova, a pediatrician at the Center for the Integrated Development of Children's Diseases of the Regional Children's Hospital in Shymkent, laments. Children weakened by malnutrition cannot withstand the load. They develop headaches, dizziness, severe fatigue, apathy and lack of interest even in their favorite activities.

- What are the most common diseases that can provoke rapid fatigue in children?

- The most common cause of sudden fatigue is a common cold, or an acute respiratory illness when the throat becomes inflamed and the ears hurt. After suffering a cold, the child may be lethargic, lethargic for 10 days. But if this lethargy does not go further, then fatigue may be the result of hepatitis. Sometimes the child suffers from attacks of sudden fatigue, which is accompanied by a desire to drink frequently, in addition, parents may notice that the child urinates more often than usual. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor, as these symptoms may raise suspicions of diabetes, especially if they are accompanied by abdominal pain and weight loss in the child, and fatigue appears on the eve of dinner or after dinner. Anemia can also cause fatigue. Therefore, a blood test should be done in order to either exclude this disease, or, having discovered it, to carry out adequate treatment. There are also age periods of increased fatigue. Including preschool age, when periods of vigorous activity are replaced by periods of depression. Super-energetic children, when they reach puberty, also lose most of their energy, and this is quite normal.

- What other reasons could there be?

- Basically, children never get tired for a long time, but if this happens, you must first of all make sure that they are not upset or worried about anything. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the individuality of the child, since there are children who like to read books, and not drive a soccer ball all day. And finally, sometimes apathy and lethargy can be caused by medications prescribed by a doctor.

What about sleep and rest?

- The appearance of fatigue is facilitated by a decrease in the duration of night sleep or a violation of daytime sleep, insufficient exposure to fresh air, improper alternation of work and rest. Fatigue easily arises with prolonged monotonous activities, excessive entertainment of the child, persistent requests from adults to be in one position, sit still and not move.

What harm can fatigue do?

- Everything is not as safe as it might seem at first glance, because the accumulated fatigue can develop into chronic. Often, schoolchildren with mental activity associated with long classes at school and in several circles at the same time can experience severe overwork. Its external signs are manifested in the form of pallor of the mucous membranes and skin, uncertain and sluggish movements, sometimes there is a tremor of the hands. The pace of work becomes slow, children cease to show interest in classes. They are easily excitable, whiny and irritable, make many mistakes and are completely inattentive.

How can parents help such a child?

– Start with the correction of physical health. Understand what kind of ailment torments the child. Perhaps he lacks vitamins, or he does not eat properly. Come up with a new menu that will contain the required amount of nutrients. Make sure your child breathes fresh air at least once a day. Review your daily routine and change it if necessary. You can remove some elective and give the child an extra hour to relax. If, on the contrary, there is too much rest, then choose a useful and interesting activity for the child. Try to make sure that he goes to bed no later than 22:00. Sleep from 11 pm to 2 am is very important. If you stay awake during these hours, your metabolism will be disturbed. Only after oversleeping this time, the next morning you can feel alert and well-rested.

What is the biggest mistake parents make?

– Did you know that children can easily adopt fatigue from their own parents? For example, a mother or father complains about hard days at work for some time in a row: “Oh, what a crazy day. Not a moment of rest! Tired, no strength! And the child's subconscious develops a similar perception of reality. Everything begins to seem complicated and tiring to him. So, dear parents, watch your emotions. And yet, you can not scold the child for poor progress and changed behavior. Talk to him, figure out what is bothering him, and together determine what needs to be done to overcome this condition.

- Not always parents manage to find the culprit of fatigue. How to be?

- There are situations when parents cannot figure out what exactly is happening with their child. Only a competent psychologist and pediatrician can help here. He will not only establish the causes of the problem, but also give valuable recommendations, tell you whether fatigue is caused by physical ailment or discomfort, or the reason lies in the emotional state of the child. In any case, do not despair and panic. Keep in mind that this problem is not unique. 50% of the world's population suffers from fatigue, the other 50% went to the doctor and found a solution to the problem.

Tatyana AVDASEVA

On a walk, the child stops - "legs do not go." And the adults only laugh in response: “I ran in, tomboy!” Meanwhile, the fact that the legs get tired quickly can be a sign of flat feet.

The foot is made up of many small bones connected by tendons and muscles. It is moderately arched upwards, and the child is in contact with the ground only with the heel and toes. If the ligaments weaken, the foot, as it were, “flattens out”, becomes flat. This is called flatfoot.

Its symptoms are fatigue, pain in the foot and calf muscles. And the cause of the disease most often lies in unsuitable shoes.

Tight shoes squeeze the tendons and muscles, and excessively loose shoes, on the contrary, contribute to their overstretching. In both cases, the damaged ligaments lose their ability to maintain the normal shape of the foot. For example, such comfortable shoes as slippers and felt boots cannot be worn for longer than 2-3 hours a day - the foot “dangles” too freely in them. Injure her and all sorts of fashionable "bells and whistles" - a narrowed toe, stiff soles and high heels.

And in general - you can’t save on a child’s shoes. So do not buy boots "for growth" or wear some disheveled dud until the end of the season.

The weight of its small owner can also “flatten” the foot. In obese children, the bones "spread", and the ligaments are stretched. And since obesity is now very common, it is not surprising that every fourth student suffers from flat feet.

Parents of such children need to ensure that they do not "stagnate". Let the child sit better, lie down or run around. If, nevertheless, it is necessary to stand for a long time (for example, in line), it is necessary to prompt him to shift from foot to foot. Barefoot walks along the beach are extremely useful - it doesn't matter if it is sandy or strewn with pebbles. In the apartment, you can “walk” on a special orthopedic rug. The child should also develop a habit: upon entering the room, you must immediately take off your shoes or change your shoes.

Orthopedists have also developed special exercises that help to successfully deal with flat feet. Here are some of the simplest and most useful ones.

• Walking on heels - 2 - 3 minutes several times a day.
• Circular foot movements - first clockwise and then counterclockwise. Performed sitting or lying on your back.
• Rolling the foot of a small bottle or tennis ball.
• Holding a stick or branch between your fingers, try to draw something with them in the sand.
• Picking up pebbles scattered on the floor with toes.

Oleg Alexandrov, pediatric surgeon (AIDS-Info Vyrastaika, 1998 No. 5)