Does your teenager complain of feeling faint or dizzy when standing up? Do they struggle with extreme tiredness that doesn't improve with rest? Researchers in Europe recently studied 18 teenagers with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome)—a real but poorly understood condition causing severe fatigue—and compared them to 18 healthy teens. They measured what happens to the heart rate and blood pressure when young people stand still for 10 minutes.
The study, published in Frontiers in Pediatrics, offers Singapore families a concrete way to identify and validate a condition that often goes undiagnosed.
Most teens with ME/CFS experience real dizziness when standing
The results were striking: 83% of the ME/CFS group reported feeling dizzy or faint when standing, compared to only 17% of healthy teens. Yet when researchers actually measured their heart rates during the standing test, only 39% of the ME/CFS teens technically met the criteria for PoTS—a condition where the heart rate spikes abnormally when standing. This gap matters enormously. It means some teens feel genuinely terrible but don't "officially" have a diagnosable condition on paper, leaving parents and doctors uncertain whether symptoms are real or psychological.
A simple diagnostic pathway exists for doctors
The study identified a practical diagnostic approach: if a teenager with ME/CFS reports dizziness or light-headedness when standing AND shows elevated heart rates for at least 60% of the standing test period, PoTS is likely present. This gives family doctors and school health staff a concrete method to work with, rather than dismissing complaints as fatigue or stress.
Diagnosis changes everything—because PoTS is treatable
In Singapore and across Asia, teenagers complaining of exhaustion are often told they're lazy or lacking motivation, especially in high-pressure academic environments. ME/CFS remains relatively unknown in Asian healthcare systems. Many exhausted Singapore teenagers are sent home with antidepressants when the real issue is physiological. Once properly diagnosed, PoTS responds to physical therapy, increased salt and fluid intake, and sometimes medication. Without diagnosis, teenagers are typically pushed to "push through"—which usually makes things worse.
How to help your teen get answers
- Document orthostatic symptoms (dizziness, brain fog, or faintness when standing) alongside persistent fatigue, and bring this record to your family doctor.
- Ask your doctor to measure heart rate changes during a simple 10-minute standing test if PoTS is suspected.
- Seek referral to a specialist if your doctor is unfamiliar with PoTS or ME/CFS, since these conditions remain underrecognised in some Asian healthcare settings.