Fatigue Management for Pediatric Cancer Patients:
How Does Fatigue Impact Pediatric Cancer Patient's Quality of Life?
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Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common side effects among pediatric cancer survivors (Silva et al., 2016). Fatigue can interfere with a child's following occupations:
- Activities of Daily Living (bathing, dressing, personal hygiene)
- Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (care of pets, care of others. meal prep, shopping, and laundry)
- Health Management (physical activity, social and emotional health maintenance)
- Rest and Sleep
- Education (academic, non-academic, extracurricular activities)
- Play
- Leisure participation (hobbies)
- Social participation (within community, family, friendship, and peer group participations)
Fatigue can also interfere with a child's recovery process and impact their long-term functioning.
Occupational therapists can contribute by helping manage the symptoms from a multidisciplinary approach (Silva et al.,2016).
Fatigue Management for Pediatric Cancer Patients: The 4 P’s of Energy Conservation
Prioritize goals
- Eliminate unnecessary things from your schedule.
- Alternate demanding tasks with less demanding ones.
- Prioritize rest
Plan
- Plan more demanding tasks for times of day when you have more energy.
- Utilize schedule (i.e. if showering makes you super tired, shower at the end of the day so that you can go to sleep right after and don't have to spend the rest of the day exhausted.
Position
- Adapt to activity demands (if you can do it sitting down, sit down).
- If you can position the things around you to take less physical effort to retrieve (lay out clothes the night before to prevent fatigue getting dressed the next day and store that energy for the next day.
Pace
- Allow plenty of time to complete activities.
- Keep a slow steady pace and try not to rush that will make you more tired.
- Listen to what your body says about how you are feeling, take a break when you need it.
Additional Things to Help with Fatigue Management
Sleep
- Create a regular sleep schedule.
- Take 15-30 min short naps during the day to prevent fatigue.
Physical Activity
- Yoga
- Low -moderate intensity exercise
- Breathing exercises
- Mindfulness meditation
Engage in Meaningful Activities
- Play - Play is children's main occupation. It can help facilitate a child's motor, cognitive, physical, social, and emotional processes.
- Instead of standing, play while seated.
- Art & Crafts
- Spend time with family & friends
- Prioritize what's important to the child to keep them engaged.
Healthy Diet
- Eating a balanced diet (protein, fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy) is crucial in order to combat tiredness, reduce fatigue, and boost energy levels.
- Avoid eating processed food, unhealthy fats, and refined carbohydrates to avoid fatigue and tiredness.
About the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer
The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a lifetime of free essential services to children and families affected by pediatric cancer. Through its various programs, the Foundation offers support, education, and hope to children battling cancer and their families, helping them navigate the challenges of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. For more information about the organization, visit www.HatcherFoundation.org.
For more information email Info@hatcherfoundation.org
