Tag: children

Cognitive idiosyncrasies among children with the chronic fatigue syndrome: anomalies in self-reported activity levels

Abstract:

The possibility that children with the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and their parents tend to display idiosyncratic cognitive processing concerning levels of activity was examined by means of subjective and objective measures of current activity, together with subjective and objective measures of desired and expected future activity.

The degree to which subjective reports of current activity level reflect objectively measured activity level was examined in a group of children with CFS and a healthy control group. All subjects were assessed over a 3-day period by means of ambulatory activity monitoring, and self-reports and parent-reports of current activity level were collected by means of visual analog scales.

Analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction between the method of measurement (objective versus subjective) and the participant group (CFS versus Healthy) with the CFS children and their parents underestimating actual level of activity relative to the healthy group. Desired and expected levels of future activity were also assessed by means of subjective report. Child and parent expected levels of future activity were compared with their desired levels.

Although expected levels of future activity were similar in the two groups, the divergence between expected levels and corresponding desired levels was significantly greater in the CFS group. These results are discussed in terms of idiosyncratic cognitive processes, which are hypothesized to be associated with CFS and which may play a role in the maintenance of the disorder.

 

Source: Fry AM, Martin M. Cognitive idiosyncrasies among children with the chronic fatigue syndrome: anomalies in self-reported activity levels. J Psychosom Res. 1996 Sep;41(3):213-23. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8910244

 

Differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue in children: behavioral and emotional dimensions

Abstract:

A battery of self-report questionnaires and structured diagnostic interviews was administered to 20 children and adolescents who presented to a pediatric specialty clinic with chronic fatigue. Matched groups of healthy and depressed control subjects (aged 8 to 19 years) were also studied. Criteria were established to identify those items in the assessment battery that reliably differentiated among the three groups.

Analysis of item content suggested several clusters of characteristics that discriminated among the subject groups, including life changes, cognitive difficulties, negative self-attributions, social relationship disruption, and somatic symptom presentation.

The results suggest that certain psychological factors can discriminate chronic fatigue from depressive symptomatology, as well as normal functioning. Items discriminating among groups are presented in an organized questionnaire format to assist with the understanding and assessment of pediatric chronic fatigue cases.

 

Source: Carter BD, Kronenberger WG, Edwards JF, Michalczyk L, Marshall GS. Differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue in children: behavioral and emotional dimensions. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 1996 Feb;17(1):16-21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8675709

 

Chronic fatigue syndrome in school children

Abstract:

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by persistent or relapsing debilitating fatigue for at least 6 months without any apparent medical diagnosis that would explain the clinical presentation.

Although, most of the reported patients are over age 30, CFS also affects school children. To better understand CFS, the network of the central nervous-endocrine-immune systems should be considered, and one must be careful to distinct CFS from school absenteeism and other psychosomatic disorders often seen among them.

 

Source: Kawa K. Chronic fatigue syndrome in school children. Nihon Rinsho. 1992 Nov;50(11):2606-11. [Article in Japanese] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1287237

 

Rheumatic fever and disorders of the musculoskeletal system

Abstract:

New information provided on the pathogenesis and management of rheumatic fever is of current interest. Invasive disease by group A streptococci has been shown to be due to production of toxin A. The natural history and immunopathologic basis for chronic Lyme arthritis are reported. Attention is drawn to pyomyositis and clinical presentation of chronic fatigue syndrome in children. Patients with Sweet’s syndrome often have antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies. Biopsy specimens of panniculitis should be taken to aid treatment. Long-term outcome in chronic osteomyelitis is favorable; recommendations on the rational use of imaging have been reported.

 

Source: Coovadia HM. Rheumatic fever and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 1992 Oct;4(5):718-24. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1419508

 

Epstein-Barr virus infection and associated diseases in children. I. Pathogenesis, epidemiology and clinical aspects

Abstract:

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an ubiquitous human B lymphotropic virus, is the cause of infectious mononucleosis. Moreover, EBV infection can be followed by lymphoproliferative diseases in patients with inherited and acquired immunodeficiencies.

Primary EBV infection may be a threat to all children after marrow or organ transplantation or those receiving chronic immunosuppressive treatment for various other reasons. The virus has been also implicated in the pathogenesis of different malignant tumours such as Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Hodgkin disease and some T-cell lymphomas.

This review focuses on various aspects of virus-host interactions, immune mechanisms of the host, and the still experimental therapeutic approaches in EBV-associated diseases.

 

Source: Schuster V, Kreth HW. Epstein-Barr virus infection and associated diseases in children. I. Pathogenesis, epidemiology and clinical aspects. Eur J Pediatr. 1992 Oct;151(10):718-25. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1330572