Obese children at greater risk from harmful sleep disorder
Until he was seven, Tommy Chui Ting-miu had a hard time getting a good night's sleep.
The chubby youngster's slumber was interrupted an average 44 times an hour by oxygen deprivation, while his loud snores, when he did drop off, disturbed his brother.
'I felt like I didn't sleep at all. I woke up several times in the middle of the night,' said Tommy, who weighed 42kg at the age of seven and now, at the age of 14, weighs a hefty 82kg.
His condition, sleep apnoea, was revealed by a sleep assessment test in 1998, after which his tonsils and adenoids were removed, leaving his airways clear.
'Now I can sleep until dawn without waking up. I feel more energetic in the daytime,' he said yesterday.
A recent study by Chinese University found that obese children like Tommy were 10 times more at risk of sleep apnoea syndrome than those of normal weight. It is the first Hong Kong study looking into the relationship between obesity and the condition in children, although it is well-known that adult sufferers are typically obese.
The study found 12 out of 46 obese children aged six to 13 suffered obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome while only one of 44 normal children had the disorder.
Albert Li Man-chim, associate professor of the department of paediatrics at Chinese University, explained that the tonsils of obese children were enlarged, blocking oxygen from the trachea. Dr Li said removal of tonsils and adenoids was the most effective solution and it did not harm patients.
'Removing the tonsils provides more space for oxygen to pass through. The situation will further be improved if the child loses weight,' he said.
The growth of children's tonsils takes place between the ages of three and six.
Dr Li said that left untreated childhood obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome could lead to hypertension, growth failure and a poor attention span that might affect children's academic performance.
'Purely obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome doesn't kill you straight away,' he said.
'But the brain needs oxygen. Being deprived of oxygen when it's asleep will affect its long-term development.'
Dr Li warned parents to take note if their children did not sleep well, snored or sweated while they were asleep and had difficulties concentrating during the day.
The university is now collecting data from 6,000 children in Sha Tin and Tai Po to study the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in Hong Kong.
