Children with Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Although hypertension is mostly an adult disease, it may also affect children, including babies and toddlers, as well as older people. When it comes to high blood pressure in children, the most common causes are either the heart or the kidneys, respectively. Nevertheless, it has been observed that children can develop high blood pressure even if they do not have a heart or kidney problem, as long as there is both a family history of high blood pressure and an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes a poor diet, excess body weight, stress, and insufficient physical activity.
Despite the fact that high blood pressure is predicted to affect 4.5 percent of children. High blood pressure is very common in adults, but it is also becoming more prevalent in children these days, a development that experts believe is linked to the rise in juvenile obesity rates.
The only method to determine whether or not your child has hypertension is to get his or her blood pressure tested on a regular basis. The first time a doctor takes a kid's blood pressure during a regular check-up is typically when the youngster is around 3 years old. Without treatment, high blood pressure may cause long-term health problems such as heart failure and organ failure such as the kidneys and the eyes. However, if high blood pressure is detected early, monitored, and treated, a kid with high blood pressure may have a normal and active life.
Complications of High Blood Pressure Over a Long Period of Time
When a child has high blood pressure, the heart and arteries must work considerably harder to keep him or her alive. The heart has to operate against a tremendous deal of resistance. The heart needs to pump harder, and the arteries are put under more pressure as they transport blood through the body. If high blood pressure persists over an extended period of time, the heart and arteries may cease to function as effectively as they should. Having high blood pressure puts a child at greater risk for stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), heart attack, renal failure, visual loss, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Even if a kid does not exhibit any signs or symptoms of high blood pressure, the condition nevertheless has an impact on the body and puts the child at risk for long-term health issues. Severe hypertension may produce a variety of symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nosebleeds, heart palpitations, vision abnormalities, and nausea in rare instances. If your kid has severe high blood pressure and exhibits any of the symptoms listed above, call your doctor immediately for an evaluation.
Whenever you take your children to the doctor, it's fairly uncommon for the doctor to take three or four blood pressure readings in order to assess whether or not your kid has high blood pressure or is at risk of developing hypertension.
High blood pressure has a variety of causes.
The reasons of high blood pressure in children vary according to the age of the individual. It is more probable that high blood pressure in a kid is caused by another ailment when the child is younger. When it comes to preterm newborns, high blood pressure is the most frequent complication. The heart or vascular system, the kidneys, and the lungs are all involved in the development of high blood pressure in certain infants. Premature babies are particularly susceptible to these complications, which are frequently caused by bronchopulmonary dysplasia, which is an immaturity of the lungs, or by problems with vessels such as coarctation of the aorta, which is an obstruction to blood flow through a portion of the major vessel that transports blood away from the heart to the body parts. Hypertension is often associated with obesity in school-age children and teenagers. These days, being overweight or obese is extremely prevalent among school-age children. A problem with the kidneys is one possible cause, but other diseases such as irregularities in the blood arteries and hormone problems may also contribute to the problem. High blood pressure may be caused by some medicines (such as steroids or oral contraceptives), as well as by excessive alcohol intake and the use of illicit substances.
Hypertension in Children: Diagnosis and Treatment
Due to the fact that high blood pressure in children typically does not manifest itself with symptoms, identifying the disease may be challenging. The only accurate method to determine whether or not your child has high blood pressure is to have it tested on a regular basis during routine check-ups. As a result, it's critical not to skip such visits, especially if your kid is fat or if there is a family history of hypertension. Additionally, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, in which a kid wears a blood pressure cuff throughout the day, is becoming more popular. Several experts believe it is more accurate than blood pressure tests performed in the doctor's office because the kid is less likely to be influenced by any stress associated with the visit and because the child's blood pressure is monitored over a longer period of time.
High Blood Pressure (hypertension) Treatment
If hypertension is caused by an underlying disease, addressing that ailment may be sufficient to bring the blood pressure back to normal. The treatment of coarctation of the aorta, for example, may substantially reduce blood pressure. If your child's doctor determines that there is no underlying illness, he or she will attempt to control Blood pressure through natural means. He or she may recommend weight loss, increased intake of fruits and vegetables, decreased salt intake, increased physical activity, and even relaxation techniques. Additionally, children with hypertension should refrain from smoking or refrain from beginning to do so since smoking is a significant risk factor for heart attack and may exacerbate the long-term consequences of the condition. When it comes to children with moderate hypertension, the majority of physicians prefer not to give medication. However, if lifestyle modifications do not result in a significant improvement in the disease, the doctor may prescribe medicine.
Exercise and involvement in organized sports are recommended for all children with hypertension who are not suffering from severe symptoms or who have it under control. In fact, maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure is essential for maintaining good health. If your child is overweight, a continuous weight-loss program supervised by your child's doctor, as well as at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity every day, may be extremely beneficial in managing blood pressure. Children with severe hypertension, on the other hand, should refrain from participating in weight- and power-lifting, bodybuilding, or strength training until their blood pressure has been brought under control and their doctor has given the go-ahead.
Keep in mind that the earlier you develop high blood pressure, the sooner you will experience its consequences. So make an effort to keep your blood pressure within normal ranges in order to be healthy and live a regular life.
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Children with Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)