Chinese student’s health risk highlights education pressure

A recent incident in China has brought to light the intense pressure placed on students to excel academically, even compromising their health. A 13-year-old girl was seriously ill with a severe respiratory infection, yet her mother resisted hospitalisation due to concerns about her daughter’s schoolwork. The incident has provoked a national conversation about the priorities placed on education over health.

Doctor Li Juefei, from the Bund branch of Ningbo University Hospital, shared the story to highlight the dangers of neglecting health issues in children, potentially leading to life-threatening situations. He stressed that parents should prioritise their child’s health over school grades.

Juefei revealed a troubling case where a mother was more concerned about her child’s academic performance than her deteriorating health. The girl, a first-year secondary school student, had been battling a fever for a week, with her body temperature consistently around 38 degrees Celsius.

She was diagnosed with a Mycoplasma infection. Despite the diagnosis, her mother purchased Azithromycin, an antibiotic, for her to take at home for three days.

However, the girl’s condition worsened. Her persistent fever and severe coughing made her teachers suggest a hospital visit. The hospital diagnosis revealed a severe case of pneumonia caused by a Mycoplasma infection.

Juefei pointed to the child’s CT scan, showing a lung filled with white spots indicating the severity of the infection, and advised immediate hospitalisation. The mother, however, hesitated and suggested continuing with the Azithromycin treatment at home for two more days.

Eventually, the girl’s father, who was listening to the conversation over the phone, agreed to follow the doctor’s advice and admitted her to the hospital. Juefei commented, In the outpatient clinic, we often encounter such parents, especially parents in primary and junior high schools, who are worried that their children will be unable to complete their homework. Some children have a fever above 39 degrees Celsius, and their mothers still say, “What can I eat to reduce the fever and go back to school immediately after taking medicine?”

Juefei argued that attending school while ill could not only potentially infect others but also pose a risk to the child’s weakened immune system. This could lead to autoimmune diseases and mixed infections, far outweighing any academic benefits. T

herefore, he urged parents to prioritise their child’s health and seek immediate medical attention when necessary, reported KhaoSod.