Key points about fatigue due to chemotherapy
- many tamariki with cancer experience fatigue
- fatigue in tamariki with cancer is usually long-lasting (chronic)
- your child will need extra rest times to cope with their fatigue
Cancer and fatigue
Many tamariki with cancer experience fatigue. Many tamariki are experiencing fatigue at the time of diagnosis. Most tamariki with cancer experience fatigue during treatment.
Fatigue can interfere with your child's quality of life.
Causes of fatigue in children with cancer
People who look after tamariki with cancer do not know exactly what causes fatigue in tamariki and rangatahi (young people) with cancer.
Fatigue in tamariki with cancer is usually long-lasting (chronic) and includes both physical and psychological tiredness.
Some of the things that may contribute to long-lasting fatigue are :
- fear and anxiety about treatment
- inadequate nutrition
- infection
- anaemia (low red blood cell count)
- sleep disturbance
- altered mobility - such as being less active than usual
Managing fatigue in children with cancer
Children will need extra rest times to cope with their fatigue during cancer.
Acknowledgements
All the pages in the childhood cancer section of this website have been written by health professionals who work in the field of paediatric oncology. They have been reviewed by the members of the National Child Cancer Network (NZ). Medical information is authorised by the clinical leader of the National Child Cancer Network.
