ObjectivesChronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is common in children and adolescents; however, little is known about how we should define recovery. This study aims to explore perceptions of recovery held by paediatric patients with CFS/ME and their parents.MethodsChildren with CFS/ME and their parents were recruited through a single specialist paediatric CFS/ME service. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with children and parents. The interview questions explored how participants would know if they/their child had recovered from CFS/ME. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns within the data.ResultsTwenty-one children with CFS/ME, twenty mothers and two fathers were interviewed. Some children found it hard to define recovery as the illness had become a ‘new normal’. Others thought recovery would indicate returning to pre-morbid levels of activity or achieving the same activity level as peers (socialising, education and leisure activities). Increased flexibility in routines and the absence of payback after activities were important. The interviews highlighted the concept of recovery as highly individual with wide variation in symptoms experienced, type and level of activity that would signify recovery. Parents describe how changes in mood and motivation would signify their child’s recovery, but children did not reflect on this.ConclusionSome parents and children struggle to define what would constitute complete recovery. However, signs of recovery were more easily identifiable. Definitions of recovery went far beyond symptom reduction and were focused towards rebuilding lives.

We show that structured light can amplify the intensity of an Arago–Poisson bright spot, the cornerstone proof of the wave nature of light, by several orders of magnitude. Specifically, we use a thin annular beam produced by either an axicon–lens combination or two axicons to illuminate an opaque circular obstacle. Experimental results confirm the numerical calculations. By judiciously choosing our scheme’s parameters, the bright spot intensity can be higher than that of the original beam, meaning that structured light facilitates “focusing” of light behind an obstacle. This amplification, in addition to didactic elucidation of this classical effect, can find use in optical alignment/metrology, lithography, aberration measurements, as well as in basic science studies of the Arago–Poisson spot in matter waves.