Severity

The severity of the illness among some, its prevalence among children, and its impact on people of all ethnic backgrounds and class are often misunderstood and were highlighted in the Chief Medical Officer Working Group on CFS/ME (ref 43). This working group set out a helpful categorization of severity in CFS/ME,  although care must be taken not to diminish inadvertently the experience of any patient by descriptors of severity.

• Mild: Patients are mobile and can care for themselves and can do light domestic tasks with difficulty. Most will still be working; however, in order to remain in work, they will have stopped all leisure and social pursuits, often taking days off. Most will use the weekend to rest in order to cope with the week.
  
• Moderate: Patients have reduced mobility and are restricted in all activities of daily living, often having peaks and troughs of ability, dependent on the degree of symptoms. They have usually stopped work and require rest periods, often sleeping in the afternoon for one or two hours. Sleep quality at night is generally poor and disturbed.
  
• Severe: Patients are able to carry out minimal daily tasks only -  for example, face washing and teeth cleaning; they have severe cognitive difficulties and are wheelchair-dependent for mobility. They are often unable to leave the house except on rare occasions, leading to a severe and prolonged after-effect from the effort.
  
• Very severe: Patients are unable to mobilize or carry out any daily tasks for themselves and are in bed most of the time. They are often unable to tolerate any noise, and are generally extremely sensitive to light.

References

43 An Independent Working Group. Working Party on CFS/ME to the Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales. London: Department of Health, 2002.

Last edited: 26/1/2004

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