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Chronic fatigue: Activity management
Activity management or Pacing is a way to plan and manage your child or young person's energy levels. It can help them manage and maintain their day to day energy levels. It can also help your child or young person to do the things they have to do and want to do, without getting too tired.
Explore the topics on this page:
Finding a baseline of activity
Boom and bust activity cycle
Often people with Myalgic Encephalopathy Myelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) have varying amounts of energy from one day to the next or even within the same day.
Your child or young person can enter a 'boom and bust' activity cycle. This is when they may do a lot on one day, but then need to rest the next day.
If this cycle continues, your child or young person's energy will decrease over time. This will mean they will be able to do fewer activities.
Boom and bust graph
Finding a baseline of activity
A baseline is the lowest level of activity that your child or young person can do every day, including the bad days. Baseline activities might include:
- getting up and dressed
- attending at lesson at school or at home
- spending time with friends and family
- getting involved in hobbies and interests
It's okay for your child or young person's baseline to be low at the start. Try to encourage them to do a similar amount of activity each day. Over time this may help them to be able to do more.
Helping with activity management
There are some ways you can help your child or young person to manage their activity levels:
- use an activity diary to record their activities, sleep and rest, until they are confident of what they can do as a baseline
- encourage them to keep their activity levels consistent each day
- avoid pushing them to do more on a good day
- encourage them to do some activities they enjoy each day
With time your child or young person may slowly progress from their baseline and may be able to do more.
Recovery Cycles
The recovery cycle is a positive cycle that shows how your child or young person can recover and slowly increase their baseline energy levels.
The mind and body are very closely linked. How your child or young person feels can affect what they are able to achieve each day.
Last reviewed: 30 December, 2024
