Smiths Medical Young Everest Study

NINE healthy British children, aged 6 to 13,  travelled to Mount Everest to take part in a ground-breaking medical study that aims to develop new treatments for critically ill children and those with both breathing and sleep problems.

The Smiths Medical Young Everest Study (SMYES) is investigating how the children cope with low oxygen levels on the world’s tallest mountain.

Doctors do not yet fully understand children’s responses to low oxygen levels, which are common in very sick children and can be fatal.

By investigating how healthy children’s bodies cope and adapt at altitude, the SMYES team hopes to improve the chances of survival for very sick children. More