A Case Definition for Children with ME/CFS

By Leonard A. Jason1, Nicole Porter1, Elizabeth Shelleby1, David S. Bell2, Charles W. Lapp3, Kathy Rowe4 and Kenny De Meirleir5:

Abstract: The case defi nition for chronic fatigue syndrome was developed for adults (Fukuda et al. 1994), and this case
defi nition may not be appropriate for use with children and adolescents. The lack of application of a consistent pediatric
defi nition for this illness and the lack of a reliable instrument to assess it might lead to studies which lack sensitivity
and specifi city. In this article, a case defi nition is presented that has been endorsed by the International Association of
ME/CFS.
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Conclusion
According to the new Pediatric case defi nition, the
following six classic categories include fatigue,
post-exertional malaise; unrefreshing sleep, or
disturbance of sleep quantity or rhythm; myofascial
pain, joint pain, abdominal and/or head pain; two
or more neurocognitive manifestations, and at least
one symptom from two of three subcategories
including autonomic manifestations, neuroendocrine
manifestations or immune manifestations. Read more>>