An 11-year-old boy in China was rushed to the hospital as he suffered “chicken claw hands,” numbness in his limbs, and rapid breathing after doing homework from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. without breaks.
The South China Morning Post reported that for the entire day, Liangliang rom Changsha in Hunan Province caught up with summer schoolwork. He apparently didn’t take any breaks.
By 11 p.m., pressure from his parents about homework distressed Liangliang enough to cause rapid breathing, dizziness, a headache, and numbness in his limbs. His parents rushed him to the hospital.
Doctors diagnosed the young boy with a respiratory condition caused by hyperventilation. They fitted him with a breathing mask and helped him regulate his breathing. Gradually, Liangliang’s symptoms let up.
According to Cleveland Clinic, hyperventilation happens when a person takes deep and rapid breaths, causing an imbalance between inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide. This condition is usually caused by anxiety and panic, and leaves a person with a feeling of breathlessness.
Per the SCMP, Liangliang’s case was more severe, which explains his muscle stiffness and hands frozen like chicken claws.
His case is not an isolated one. According to Changsha Central Hospital, over 30 teenagers with symptoms similar to Liangliang’s were admitted to their pediatric emergency department in August. Compared to other months, this was a tenfold increase.
The Chinese schoolyear normally runs from September to January and from February to July. Despite the school year ending, a 2017 study conducted by the British Council said it is common for students in mainland China to spend even their summer break, from July to August, studying.
The traditional value of educational excellence leads most Chinese parents to pressure their children into pursuing only the highest grades in school.
This academic pressure certainly plays a major role in the increase in cases like Liangliang’s. However, doctors said being emotionally agitated is the main trigger of hyperventilation that leads to respiratory distress.
According to Zhang Xiaofo, director of the Pediatric Department at Changsha Central Hospital, some severe cases can be fatal.
To avoid this, experts recommend breathing through pursed lips. Have the patient sit with their back straight, or if they can’t, have them lie down and relax their shoulders.
Let them inhale through the nose for two seconds, then purse their lips as if they’re blowing on a candle and breathe out for four seconds. Repeat until breathing is back to normal.
The Need for Reform and Safeguards
This incident must serve as a wake-up call. Educational authorities should reassess homework policies. Guidelines should specify age-appropriate limits—for instance, the National Education Association recommends 10 minutes of homework per grade level per night. For an 11-year-old (typically in grade 6), that would be around 60 minutes, not 14 hours.
Schools should provide training for teachers to assign meaningful, manageable tasks that reinforce learning without overwhelming students. Assignments should encourage critical thinking, creativity, and application—not rote work.
Parents must be educated on the signs of academic stress in children, such as fatigue, mood changes, and physical complaints. Open communication between parents, teachers, and students is essential in identifying when expectations are becoming harmful.
Governments and education ministries must create policies that prioritize student mental health—integrating mindfulness, rest, and emotional intelligence into the curriculum. Countries such as Finland have already seen success with reduced homework loads, shorter school days, and an emphasis on well-being, proving that academic success need not come at the expense of health.
The hospitalization of an 11-year-old child due to an extreme homework session is not just a one-off tragedy—it is a reflection of a broken mindset that equates excessive academic effort with excellence.
Education should inspire, not injure. It’s time to reframe the conversation around student achievement to include health, happiness, and balance. A child’s future should not come at the cost of their present well-being.
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