Here’s What You Need To Know About Hypertension In Children

Source: The Indian Express

We usually do not link high blood pressure with children. But the cases of hypertension have significantly increased.

• One of the main reasons is intake of processed food that leads to obesity at a young age.

Obesity comes with a large set of problems, obesity is one of them

• Hypertension is also the result of high level of stress faced by children nowadays.
• Hypertension can also be genetic

The best thing to do is to lead a happy life. Eating habits should be kept in check along with regular exercise. Hormones, kidney ailments can also cause hypertension.

Some symptoms which you should be aware of in the event of a high blood pressure emergency are headaches, seizures, vomiting, chest pains, a pounding heartbeat, palpitations, and shortness of breath. A lot of times what happens is that children mistake an anxiety attack for a heart attack which heightens the anxiety causing the heart to beat even faster.

You should contact a doctor when you see anything amiss. Pay regular visits to your pediatrician. There are two types of hypertension – Primary and Secondary.

Primary hypertension is when there is no identifiable cause. It could be a result of diabetes, genetics or even obesity. It happens in children above the age of five. Secondary hypertension is a result of conditions such as chronic kidney disease, heart problems, such as severe narrowing (co-arctation) of the aorta, adrenal disorders, hyperthyroidism, and sleep disorders.

Yes, it is scary, but it can be managed. Some cases (mostly secondary hypertension cases) will require medication, but most of the time lifestyle adjustments go a long way in helping children be healthy and live healthy. Give them three proper meals a day with vegetables, rice, roti, dal along with fruits and nuts. A 30 minute walk a day also helps. Allot one day for moderate consumption of junk food. These are habits which need to be instilled in your child to make his or her body strong.