Tired Teens: Understanding and Conquering Chronic Fatigue and POTS.: Understanding and conquering chronic fatigue and POTS

A Mayo Clinic pediatrician's guide to the causes of fatigue in teenagers—and finding the care they may need. What happens when a perfectly healthy teen suddenly becomes tired and lethargic? In Tired Teens , Dr. Philip R. Fischer draws upon decades of experience as a pediatrician to pinpoint causes of chronic fatigue in teens and explains how teens and parents can help combat these debilitating conditions. Preparing for college applications, keeping up with schoolwork, and balancing a variety of extracurricular activities, all while maintaining a social life, is causing modern-day teens to become overworked and under-rested. While some students manage to keep up with this packed schedule, many teens go from being A+ students to barely being able to get out of bed in the morning. Some causes of excessive tiredness, like lack of sleep and improper sleep hygiene, can be easy to remedy. However, other causes, like digestive problems, hormonal changes, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), may require more serious care. In Tired Teens , Dr. Fischer explains how to identify the warning signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue in teens, helping you determine if your teen's excessive tiredness is simply a symptom of a busy schedule, or the result of an unexpected disorder, like autonomic dysfunction and POTS. Finally, the book provides expert advice on receiving an evaluation and diagnosis for adolescent fatigue, and outlines different treatment plans available to those diagnosed with this invisible illness. By simplifying these issues in a clear and digestible way, Dr. Fischer makes it easy for teens and parents to learn how to manage and treat persistent tiredness. Whether you're a teen experiencing chronic fatigue or the parent of one, Tired Teens offers hope and guidance about how to overcome chronic fatigue and POTS for good. "So many teenagers today feel tired. Some causes of excessive tiredness, like lack of sleep and improper sleep hygiene, can be easy to remedy. However, other causes, like digestive problems, hormonal changes, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), may require more-serious care. If your teen has been struggling with fatigue and lack of energy for months, you know it can be miserable. And discouraging. In Tired Teens, Dr. Fischer explains how to identify the warning signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue in teens, helping you determine if your teen's excessive tiredness is simply a symptom of a busy schedule or the result of an unexpected disorder, like autonomic dysfunction and POTS. The book provides expert advice on receiving an evaluation and a diagnosis for adolescent fatigue, and outlines different treatment plans available to those diagnosed with chronic fatigue and POTS. Along the way, Dr. Fischer's expertise is accompanied by real-life stories of POTS and practical input from nurses who work alongside him. In Dr. Fischer's careful and compassionate words, you'll find hope for true healing and the potential for a complete and lasting recovery." -- Back cover What do you do as a teenager when you go from being an active A student with a busy social life to suddenly feeling as if you have no energy left? Why is it so difficult to pinpoint what’s wrong and get the right treatment? In Tired Teens, Philip R. Fischer, M.D., offers answers, hope and healing. He draws on years of experience treating thousands of young patients at Mayo Clinic to transfer his hard-earned knowledge in a clear and compassionate way to readers. Tired Teens: Understanding and conquering chronic fatigue and POTS is an extension of Dr. Fischer’s groundbreaking work at Mayo Clinic. In this book for teens, parents and health care providers, Dr. Fischer explains the sudden and disruptive development of chronic tiredness and fatigue that occurs in some teens. He discusses where symptoms may come from, including disorders such as autonomic dysfunction and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Presents a guide to understanding, diagnosing, and treating chronic fatigue syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS) in teenagers. Explores the signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue and POTS, what is happening in the body, and treatment options