Publication:

The Pickwickian child: a case report of paediatric obesity hypoventilation syndrome

Childhood obesity is on the rise and with it are also some unusual complications like Obesity hypoventilation syndrome, the triad of which includes obesity, hypoventilation and sleep disordered breathing. The absence of a mechanical, neuromuscular or metabolic explanation is essential before making this diagnosis. We report the case of a 10-year-old male child who was brought to us for the first time with acute onset breathlessness on exertion and generalised oedema, with progressive weight gain in the last 3 years. He was diagnosed with OHS with severe Obstructive sleep apnoea leading to cardiac failure and eventually improved with antifailure treatment, sildenafil, lifestyle modifications and BiPAP. Prompt recognition and early initiation of treatment measures including stringent lifestyle modifications are essential in preventing complications of OHS like cardiac failure.