Web-Based Program to Treat Chronic Fatigue Among Teens

An internet-based program has been found to be effective in treating chronic fatigue among teenagers according to a report published in the journal The Lancet.

The report said that more than 63 percent of teenagers who enrolled into the program, known as Fatigue In Teenagers on the interNET (FITNET), have managed to recover from chronic fatigue. The report was compiled by researchers from the University Medical Centre in Utrecht in Netherlands who observed 135 participants with chronic fatigue.

All of the participants were between 12 and 18 years of age. Around 67 participants were given standard treatment for chronic fatigue, including group psychotherapy and exercise therapy, while the remaining 68 participants enrolled into Fitnet.

After a period of six months, around 85 percent of the participants who had joined Fitnet said that they had no severe fatigue compared to just 27 participants who were given standard treatment.

Stating that Fitnet was an effective program in treating chronic fatigue, the authors wrote, "Fitnet offers a readily accessible and highly effective treatment for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome. The results of this study justify implementation on a broader scale."

Source: Medindia