Chronic fatigue syndromes: real illnesses that people can recover from.

The 'Oslo Chronic Fatigue Consortium' consists of researchers and clinicians who question the current narrative that chronic fatigue syndromes, including post-covid conditions, are incurable diseases. Instead, we propose an alternative view, based on research, which offers more hope to patients. Whilst we regard the symptoms of these conditions as real, we propose that they are more likely to reflect the brain's response to a range of biological, psychological, and social factors, rather than a specific disease process. Possible causes include persistent activation of the neurobiological stress response, accompanied by associated changes in immunological, hormonal, cognitive and behavioural domains. We further propose that the symptoms are more likely to persist if they are perceived as threatening, and all activities that are perceived to worsen them are avoided. We also question the idea that the best way to cope with the illness is by prolonged rest, social isolation, and sensory deprivation.Instead, we propose that recovery is often possible if patients are helped to adopt a less threatening understanding of their symptoms and are supported in a gradual return to normal activities. Finally, we call for a much more open and constructive dialogue about these conditions. This dialogue should include a wider range of views, including those of patients who have recovered from them.

Mental health of outpatient pediatric patients.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the percentage of mental health problems in a pediatric outpatient Norwegian clinic. We used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to screen for mental health problems. Families of children aged 4-11 took part in the study, and 380 out of 982 possible families consented to take part, and 349 families contributed with questionnaire data. The main referral reasons for the patients were asthma, eneuresis and stomach pain. Mothers reported that 17.4% of boys and 17.8% of girls displayed mental clinical problems. The prevalence of problems did not differ significantly between somatic diagnostic groups. Although the study has low participation, it underlines the necessity of screening all pediatric patients for mental health problems. Future research in pediatric clinics should include factors of psychology because pediatric problems are not caused by somatics alone.

The role of stressful life events in the development of depressive symptoms in adolescence--a longitudinal community study.

Depressive symptoms were measured in a cohort of community-based adolescents (n = 163) at two time-points, with 1 year intervening. At Time 2, participants also answered a scale about past-year stressful life events. Depressive symptoms increased from Time 1 to Time 2, the effect being stronger for girls than for boys. Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with concurrent measures of recent stressful life events, but this relationship disappeared after controlling for previous depressive symptoms. Rather, previous level of depressive symptoms predicted stressful life events. This demonstrates that a unidirectional model of stressful life events as the cause of depressive symptoms in adolescents is too simplistic.

[Neonatal medicine at the appropriate level of care?]. / Nyfødtmedisin på riktig nivå?

BACKGROUND: To explore the utilisation of neonatal care resources in the region. METHOD: Place of birth, unit of admission, ventilator treatment, total and "unnecessary" length of stay in a tertiary unit, and to which location the children were discharged, were recorded from medical records of sick newborns from Finnmark transferred to the University Hospital of North Norway during 1992-99. RESULTS: 255 newborns from Finnmark County were admitted to the University Hospital, of which 175 (69%) were delivered at the University Hospital. 70 (28%) were primarily admitted to an inappropriate level of care. 93% of preterms less than 32 weeks of gestational age and 85% of preterms at 32-35 weeks were transported inutero to the University Hospital. In 16% of hospital days at the University Hospital, the level of care was considered inappropriate. 50% of the children were discharged to hospitals in Finnmark County, while 41% went home directly. 58% of the preterms spent their last days in hospital in the neonatal care unit in Hammerfest. CONCLUSION: Improvements could be made to the allocation of patients to appropriate level of care. Preterms less than 32 weeks are adequately selected for inutero transport. A higher proportion of large preterms should be delivered and treated at the neonatal care unit in Hammerfest.