Self-management treatment for fatigue in paediatric multiple sclerosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the feasibility of a guided self-management treatment for fatigue in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis
IRAS ID
201411
Contact name
Rona Moss-Morris
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Fatigue is a common and disabling symptom that affects up to 76% of children and adolescents with MS (caMS). Fatigue disrupts caMS’ school, social and family lives. Despite its impact, effective treatments for fatigue in caMS are lacking. In adult MS and adolescent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, however, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) based treatments have been effective in reducing the severity and impact of fatigue. Self-management approaches offer a cost-effective way to deliver CBT. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of a guided self-management treatment for fatigue in caMS. The study will also look at changes in outcomes such as fatigue, impairment and psychological well-being. The intervention will focus on helping caMS and primary caregivers to understand fatigue, establish healthy activity and sleep patterns, manage fatigue in school, and address thoughts and emotions related to fatigue. CaMS (aged 6-18) with fatigue and their primary caregivers will be recruited from NHS paediatric neurology clinics, MS charities and from an existing database of patients who have agreed to be contacted about future research. Once consented, participants will be asked to complete some questionnaires. Parents and caMS will then each be given a self-management treatment booklet for 6-8 weeks, which will be guided by short weekly sessions with the researcher. Post-intervention, they will complete the same questionnaires. CaMS and parents will then be invited to interview to talk about their experiences of the intervention, what they found helpful, and what could be improved in the future. The results will help us to understand how this intervention should be developed and tested further in the future. This MS Society funded research should help us to establish ways of managing fatigue in paediatric MS in order to reduce the severity and impact it has on the lives of caMS.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0062
Date of REC Opinion
13 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion