Fatigue Tips to Recharge the Battery

Tips to Recharge the Battery

Mommy, I'm tired!'' Sure, you expect to hear that late in the afternoon, after your eight-year-old child has just spent the entire day playing with friends or racing around at a birthday party.

But what if your daughter says ''I'm tired!'' first thing in the morning or when she's on her way to the party? That's when her fatigue and droopiness are puzzling.

Toddlers don't complain of fatigue the same way as eight-year-olds, but they do get tired, too. The difference is that in toddlers, fatigue shows up as crankiness and whininess, says William Womack, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Child Psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine and codirector of the Stress Management Clinic of Children's Hospital and Medical Center, both in Seattle.

Once you've ruled out possible physical causes of fatigue, try our experts' perk-up suggestions. The odds are, your child will be outrunning you again in no time.

Build up slowly. If your relatively sedentary child suddenly acquires a group of active new friends, takes up a new sport or joins a play group, he'll likely be fatigued at first, says Robert R. Butterworth, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in treating children and adolescents. Explain to your child that it will take a while to ''get up to speed.'' Encourage him to take things easy and get extra rest until he's used to the new activity.

Slow things down. Older children may be fatigued simply because they're doing too many things, says Dr. Womack. If your child participates in an after-school activity almost every day, plus sports or Scouts on weekends, you may need to cut out an activity or two.

Add in chill-out time. If your child is at school or day care all day, that can add up to a long, tiring day, says Frances Willson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Sherman Oaks, California, and chairman of the Health Psychology Committee of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association.

If you can, arrange for your child to occasionally spend time with just a friend and a parent or sitter after school instead of always being in a large group. And some children, no matter what their age, benefit from a nap during the day. If none of these options are possible, give your child half an hour to an hour of quiet time when she gets home. Serve her a snack at the kitchen table while you prepare dinner, or have her rest quietly in her room with a book.

Go for more variety. On the other hand, a child without many activities or friends may not be fatigued at all--just bored by the same day-in, day-out routine. Try to add one activity that really appeals to your child, says Dr. Willson: ''If your child likes getting attention, for example, you can motivate her by enrolling her in a performing arts class,'' she says.

You could break the routine by asking your child to help you make dinner, going to the library together, having a different friend over to play once a week or playing board games in the evenings instead of turning on the television.

Set a bedtime hour. Children need a set bedtime to ensure they get enough rest, says Dr. Womack. To avoid disrupting sleep patterns, weekend bedtimes shouldn't be more than an hour different from the weekday bedtime.

On the average, 2-to 6-year-olds need 12 hours of sleep, plus a nap. Between 6 and 9 years of age, most children need 11 hours of sleep, and by age 12, about 10 hours. Children vary, however--some will need more, some less.

Supply a good breakfast and lunch. A child who dashes off to school without breakfast or with just a sweet roll is likely going to poop out during the day, says Dr. Butterworth. And the youngster who skips lunch will likely experience an afternoon slump.

If there's no time to cook breakfast, serve nonsugared breakfast cereals, toast, fruit, yogurt or whole-grain muffins. If your child won't eat school lunches, pack his lunch the night before, or have him do it.

Serve healthy snacks. Giving your child soda, juice, candy or cookies for snacks may provide quick energy, but his energy level will plummet afterward, says Donna Oberg, R.D., a registered dietitian and public health nutritionist for the Seattle--King County Department of Public Health in Kent, Washington. ''His blood sugar will go below what it had been before he ate that 'quick energy' source,'' she says.

Better choices are fruit, vegetables, unbuttered popcorn or low-fat crackers. Some older children like chilled baby carrots and broccoli florets, she adds.

Supply plenty of vitamins. ''I see children all the time who are deficient in nutrients such as vitamin B6 and zinc,'' says Ray C. Wunderlich, Jr., M.D., who practices nutritional medicine in St. Petersburg, Florida. The best way to get these nutrients is with a balanced diet that includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. If you also include whole grains and two servings of meat, fish or other protein-rich foods, you'll be providing your child with all the nutrients she needs. ( Beef, poultry, whole-grain products and brewers yeast are good sources of both zinc and vitamin B6.)

If you're considering supplements, however, first discuss your child's diet with your doctor.

Watch out for dieters. Many youngsters, particularly girls, begin to diet at an early age, and the lack of calories can make a child feel exhausted, says Dr. Butterworth. If your child is just skipping desserts or she's choosing salads instead of french fries, you probably don't have to worry. But you should explain to your child that she needs plenty of nutrients and point out good food choices. If your child seems overly concerned about her weight or persists in dieting, arrange a visit to her doctor.

Look for an allergy connection. Allergies to certain foods can make a child tired. ''Try keeping a food diary to determine whether certain foods seem to lead to more tiredness,'' Dr. Wunderlich suggests. Write down what your child eats, what time he eats it and how he felt throughout the day. If one food seems to trigger tiredness, try cutting out that food. Foods that are consumed in large amounts and most frequently are apt to be the food offenders.

Get problems out in the open. If you suspect that your child's malaise is the result of a fight with his best friend, problems at school or traumatic events in the family, encourage him to talk it out, says Dr. Willson.

Read-aloud stories can help a young child deal with some of the unpleasant things that may be going on in her life. For example, stories that deal with making friends, starting at a new school or dealing with loss can be very helpful, says Dr. Willson.

Set a good example. Is your child echoing your ''I'm so tired'' or ''I'm pooped out?'' Some fatigue can be learned. ''If a child has a tired mother, a tired father or tired grandparents, he can pick up on that and mimic those symptoms and behaviors,'' Dr. Wunderlich says. Try getting some extra rest, if possible. And even if you are tired much of the time, try not to complain about it in front of your child.