More people need to become aware of the danger of obesity and high blood pressure in children. The popularity of junk foods, sodas, and long hours of playing video games and watching television instead of exercising, are taking their toll on our children’s health. These unhealthy habits are contributing to many problems including high blood pressure (hypertension). While problems with the kidneys or heart can also cause high blood pressure, for a growing number of kids, the cause is poor lifestyle habits. High blood pressure was previously a threat only to adults, but it is now affecting more children and can be the catalyst for a lifetime of serious health problems. If a young child has an elevated blood pressure, the odds are quite high that it will still be elevated in adulthood. Unfortunately, a natural extension of the nationwide obesity epidemic is high blood pressure in our children.

The same health risks that plague adults with high blood pressure and obesity can also plague our children who have high blood pressure and obesity. The health risks include stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and cardiovascular problems, as well as diabetes. Signs and symptoms of high blood pressure normally don’t appear unless high blood pressure becomes severe, until then it is a dangerously silent condition. Some signs that your child’s blood pressure may be seriously high are headaches, changes in vision, dizziness, shortness of breath and fatigue. Overweight children who also have breathing disorders during sleep, such as sleep apnea, are more likely to develop problems with high blood pressure. Smoking, or second hand smoke, drinking alcohol, using street drugs or muscle-building steroids can contribute to the risk of high blood pressure.

Some conditions can increase your child’s risk of developing high blood pressure including prematurity, low birth weight, congenital heart disease, heredity, and certain urinary or kidney problems. If your child is at risk, then doctors should begin checking your child’s blood pressure during infancy, otherwise doctors typically begin checking blood pressure at age three. If your child has pneumonia or other acute illness, then check his or her blood pressure at least once during the course of treatment for the illness. If your child has a normal blood pressure then routine checks during well-child visits are usually enough.

Related links:
Hoarding can be a Sign of Childhood Depression
Read more on childhood disorders.
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