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Chronic fatigue syndrome is 'major' cause of school absence according to research.

Chronic fatigue syndrome may be ten times more common than previously thought and be one of the major reasons children are absent from school, researchers have said.

A study has found that one per cent of schoolchildren aged between 11 and 16 had CFS, which is also known as myalgic encephalitis or ME.

Previous estimates had suggested only about 0.1 per cent to 0.5 per cent of children suffered from the condition. Most are undiagnosed and untreated, despite evidence that treatment is effective in youngsters, the researchers found.

The condition is a 'major cause' of school absence, they said.

Chronic fatigue syndrome can result in severe, disabling fatigue and affects mental and physical functioning. It may include insomnia, low mood and muscle pain or headaches.

Previous studies have found that an acute illness, often viral infection, appears to occur in two-thirds of children who go on to develop CFS.

Researchers from Bristol University looked at 2855 schoolchildren of which 461 had missed more than 20 per cent of school in six weeks. In over half of the cases, the reason for the absence was known but in 146 it remained unexplained and most of those attended a clinic at school. Of the 2855 children in the sample, 28 were found to have CFS.

The researchers found these children tended to have less fatigue and fewer symptoms than those normally picked up through health services. They also seemed to make quick progress. Of 19 children followed up, six had fully recovered after six weeks and a further six had fully recovered after six months.

Lead author Dr Esther Crawley, writing in the journal BMJ Open, said: "Chronic fatigue is an important cause of unexplained absence from school.

"Children diagnosed through school-based clinics are less severely affected than those referred to specialist services and appear to make rapid progress when they access treatment.

"There are several possible reasons why children missing significant amounts of school with chronic fatigue syndrome/ME are not identified.

"Those with moderate/mild symptoms may not see their GP or may not be recognised as having the condition if they are seen.

"Alternatively, GPs and paediatricians may not be aware of specialist services or feel that their child's condition is sufficiently serious to warrant a referral."

Treatment can include graded exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), slowly returning to normal routines of sleeping and eating and reintegration at school.

Read more about this at The Telegraph website.