[Usefulness of growth chart in children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome].

We presented three sheets of growth chart in children with chronic fatigue syndrome. The growth chart in 14-year-old boy (patient 1) showed decreased weight gain because of too much exercise. After that he complained nausea, abdominal pain, sleep disturbance and debilitating fatigue. The growth chart in 12-year-old girl (patient 2) revealed increased weight gain because of overeating due to the divorce of her parents. She developed syncope, sleep disturbance, and fatigue during overeating. The growth chart in 13-year-old girl (patient 3) showed decreased weight gain after she developed lymph node enlargement. We diagnosed her as autoimmune fatigue syndrome because of persistent positive antinuclear antibody. Although growth chart will not be able to detect childhood chronic fatigue syndrome prospectively, the chart may be useful for detecting some life events in these children.