When you think of high blood pressure or hypertension you automatically associate it with older people however, children can suffer from this condition. This alarming situation can be linked to the rising rates of obesity among young people over the last 15 years. There is a correlation in the rise of obesity and an increase in children with high blood pressure.
Hypertension can be categorised in to two groups. The first group is primary hypertension and this describes the condition where the cause or source cannot be determined. This is the most common type of high blood pressure. The second group is secondary hypertension. This refers to high blood pressure being caused by different health complications. Young children with the primary form of hypertension usually acquire it due to a hereditary condition that can be linked to a history of hypertension in the family. The risk of acquiring this condition can be greatly increased if the young child is overweight or obese.
The BMI index which measures the proportion of fat in the body has been used in research studies that revealed children with hypertension have a high percentage of fat in relation to their body mass. Research has also revealed that approximately thirty percent of young children are overweight or obese.
Secondary high blood pressure is less prevalent in adults as it is in young children. If a child is overweight they should be checked for high blood pressure as further studies have determined that eighty percent of complications relating to the kidneys were found in young children with hypertension. Other health complications related to high blood pressure in young people are convulsions and other heart conditions.
If you are concerned that your child may have hypertension there are a number of symptoms to watch out for. For example, if there is a change in their eating habits, if they get moody or irritable and if they cry a lot for no apparent reason then check with your doctor. In older children symptoms could range from headaches, dizziness and sickness. The only way to be sure is to visit the doctor and ask to have their blood pressure measured.
Milder forms of hypertension can be treated by changing their diet, reducing their consumption of salt, processed foods and sweet snacks. This can be done in conjunction with giving them more exercise which should help to improve their condition.
The treatment of chronic hypertension may require pharmaceutical drugs to help control the condition. As with the mild form, the child needs to eat a better diet that is low in salt and increase their levels of physical activity. It is very important to control high blood pressure especially in young children as they are at greater risk of having further health complications such as heart disease or stroke as they get older.
It is advisable that you seek medical advice from you doctor before you make any changes to your children's diet.
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