Fibromyalgia In Children

Looking for New Ways to Ease the Pain of Fibromyalgia

FAITH LAPIDUS: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: And I'm Christopher Cruise. Today, we talk about fibromyalgia syndrome. American officials say fibromyalgia affects up to six million people in the United States each year. In some countries, the disease is said to affect more than three and a half percent of adult women and one-half percent of all adult men.

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FAITH LAPIDUS: Fibromyalgia can have many symptoms, including depression and low energy levels. But pain -- often throughout the body -- is the main problem. Patients often have pain in their muscles and joints. And they always feel tired.

Many people with fibromyalgia have trouble persuading doctors that their pain is real. Some of the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia are the same as those of other diseases. As a result, doctors often have trouble recognizing and confirming the presence of the disease.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Treating fibromyalgia can be difficult. Since there is no cure, doctors may experiment with different treatments and medicines. Some drugs work with some patients, but do not work with others. Patients with mild fibromyalgia often do not need any drugs. Their condition can improve with a combination of low-impact exercises, a good diet, getting enough rest and patient education.

Treatment of fibromyalgia patients can be costly and difficult for doctors, because the pain only lessens. It never goes away completely.

America’s Food and Drug Administration has approved three drugs for fibromyalgia – Lyrica, Cymbalta and Savella. These medicines have been shown to reduce pain for about half of patients.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Doctor Russell Rothenberg is a leading expert on fibromyalgia. For many patients, he says, a thirty percent reduction in pain is enough so they can work and take care of their family. Once fibromyalgia is treated, patients can be stable for many years -- not getting better, but not getting worse, either.

Some patients have described fibromyalgia as taking control of their lives and making them a prisoner of their own body. Plenty of physical activity in one day can make muscles sore for days afterwards. Foot pain can be so intense that wearing shoes is impossible. Even after getting eight hours of sleep, some sufferers wake up feeling tired. Normal activities like socializing with friends can be impossible.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia Do Children Have It Post 1 ...

Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), and Fibromyalgia (FM) have finally been recognized in adults after many years of skepticism. But there still remains a need to educate parents and teachers that children and adolescents can have CFIDS/FM. This article is being written with the hope that a child suffering from CFIDS/FM may have better understanding and support from the adults in his or her life.

In children and adults, CFIDS/FM are complex illnesses that are not easily diagnosed and unfortunately, there are still no reliable diagnostic tests for them. As an adult with CFIDS I can describe to you in detail the symptoms I experience, but even then you and I may not have the same definition of “fatigue.” When I use the word, I mean an exhaustion that is permeating my entire body…you may think of it as tired.

And, since children do not have adult vocabularies to describe symptoms, their comments about the symptoms that they are experiencing can be confusing to an adult. Some of the common complaints are tiredness, stomachache or injuries to arms and legs that can’t be seen. The fact that symptoms often wax and wane causes confusion on the part of many adults. Teachers and physicians often diagnose a behavior or emotional problem instead of recognizing that the child has an illness.

If your child has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome there are some things that you can do to help. First affirm and acknowledge that your child is really sick. Let your child know that you understand that he is in pain and/or has a problem with fatigue. Help your child to find healthy ways to express anger and frustrations that he may be feeling.

Teach your child how to listen to his own body. For example, if he is having a good energy day, teach him to control the urge to become more active than normal. Pacing is about learning to conserve energy and it can help to avoid some of the relapses that are common to the disease.

Your child will need a balanced diet that avoids preservatives and sugar. He may also suffer from food sensitivities. Help him to avoid foods that cause headaches, bloating or dizziness. Provide plenty of water and other healthy fluids.

The proper amount of rest is of extreme importance and is one of the most effective ways to increase your child’s chances of feeling his best. Establish a regular bedtime and encourage your child to get as much rest as possible. A short nap during the day might be helpful. Consider buying him a down comforter and pillow to help make the sleep experience more enjoyable. However, avoid down if your child is allergic to it.

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