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Fatigue & Sleepiness

Fatigue and Sleepiness



Fatigue is a common side effect of treatment. While your child may not appear to be doing much, the treatment is creating a great deal of work inside the body fighting the cancer. Fatigue may be acute (short lasting) or chronic (lasting some time). In the short term it may be tiredness relieved by rest. In the long term it may be a feeling of exhaustion accompanied by other symptoms such as a lack of energy, dizziness, weakness and/or trouble concentrating. Fatigue may continue some time after treatment is finished.

Sleepiness can be a side effect of radiotherapy to the brain. It's called somnolence syndrome and can last for many weeks. If your child is having radiotherapy as part of his/her treatment, the radiotherapy healthcare team, will discuss this with you.

Hints for managing fatigue:
  • Plan appropriate rest periods during energy lows.
  • On return to school, plan for half days, then full days.
  • Avoid having too many visitors at once.
  • Ensure your child is active to maintain fitness and wellbeing.
  • Continue normal activities as much as possible.
  • Plan outings when your child has more energy.
  • Ensure your child's food and fluid intake is maintained.
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