Home-based family-focused rehabilitation for adolescents with severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

TY - JOUR

T1 - Home-based family-focused rehabilitation for adolescents with severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

AU - Burgess, Mary

AU - Lievesley, Kate

AU - Ali , Sheila

AU - Chalder, Trudie

PY - 2018/7/22

Y1 - 2018/7/22

N2 - Aims: The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate a home based, family-focused rehabilitative approach for severely affected housebound adolescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). The main aims were to facilitate a return to school, improve physical functioning, reduce fatigue and assess any adverse effects of the intervention. Methods: Six housebound adolescents aged 11-18, diagnosed with CFS by a Paediatrician, were assessed and treated at home by an experienced cognitive behaviour therapist. Outcomes were assessed 12 months after discharge from treatment. Results: At 12 months follow-up all patients had returned to either school or college, and physical functioning had improved in most of the patients. Fatigue had reduced in some. No adverse effects of the intervention were reported. Conclusion: Severely affected adolescents with CFS showed improved physical functioning and social adjustment after a home-based rehabilitative approach. Although several patients showed improvements in physical functioning, they did not all show substantial improvements in fatigue. At this crucial stage of development, it is important to offer young people and their parents hope by stating that improvement is possible

AB - Aims: The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate a home based, family-focused rehabilitative approach for severely affected housebound adolescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). The main aims were to facilitate a return to school, improve physical functioning, reduce fatigue and assess any adverse effects of the intervention. Methods: Six housebound adolescents aged 11-18, diagnosed with CFS by a Paediatrician, were assessed and treated at home by an experienced cognitive behaviour therapist. Outcomes were assessed 12 months after discharge from treatment. Results: At 12 months follow-up all patients had returned to either school or college, and physical functioning had improved in most of the patients. Fatigue had reduced in some. No adverse effects of the intervention were reported. Conclusion: Severely affected adolescents with CFS showed improved physical functioning and social adjustment after a home-based rehabilitative approach. Although several patients showed improvements in physical functioning, they did not all show substantial improvements in fatigue. At this crucial stage of development, it is important to offer young people and their parents hope by stating that improvement is possible

KW - chronic fatigue syndrome

KW - rehabilitation

KW - CBT

KW - Adolescent

KW - case series

U2 - 10.1177/1359104518794764

DO - 10.1177/1359104518794764

M3 - Article

SN - 1359-1045

JO - Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

JF - Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

ER -