Are Children With Heart Disorders May Exercise

Medical Video: Do You Know The Warning Signs of Heart Disease?

Aka heart abnormalities congenital heart disease is a problem in the structure of the heart found from birth, it is still unknown the exact cause of this illness. One of the factors can be caused by descent from parents. Heart abnormalities can also occur when the fetus is formed in women who have infections or are exposed to radiation from toxic substances. Having a heart disorder can be at risk for disease complications, such as heart failure, endocarditis, atrial fibrillation, and heart valve problems, even in severe cases can cause death. Usually heart abnormalities are found after the birth of a child, but there are also those that have not been known for years. If found at the time of the birth of a child, babies with complex heart disorders usually need surgery.

Cardiac disorders can limit children in their activities, but that does not mean they cannot live normally like other children. They can still lead a normal life like going to school and doing other physical activities.

Can a child with a heart disorder exercise?

There are some children who do get limits for exercise, but some are still able to exercise. Exercise itself is beneficial for cardiovascular health, motor skills, and can also make children build friendships without feeling different. Research cited by the NHS reveals that a child suffering from a heart disorder often feels lonely and isolated because he has to limit his activities. Not to mention if he had to visit the hospital often, making his school disturbed. Though friendship is one way for children to be more positive and happy.

Besides getting friends, exercise can also make hormones happy. In children who are restricted to exercise, they can still exercise with the doctor's advice. Doctors will usually help parents to schedule activities for children with heart disorders, by targeting the limits of heart rate and how often they can exercise. Tests need to be carried out before the child does a sports program. Stress ECG test (as electrocardiogram) is done to find out and measure the heart's response to exercise.

What kind of exercise is safe for children with heart disorders?

Usually the recommended rule for children is around 30 to 60 minutes per day, if you can't do it every day, your child can do it twice a week. But it must be divided at intervals of 10 to 15 minutes throughout the sport. However, when the child is exhausted and wants to rest, you must support him not to force himself.

The safest type of exercise to do is aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling, walking leisurely, rowing, climbing or climbing stairs. Or outdoor sports such as basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball. The way to play is to breathe heavily and quickly, but still be able to have a conversation with someone. If your child can speak in full sentences, and still feel the heartbeat, your child can get the same benefits from the level of the sport. Need to be underlined, you should not force yourself.

What sports should be avoided?

We recommend that exercise that needs to be avoided is that can cause tension and snorting or the medical term is called valsava maneuver. Sports like this are usually in the form of sit-ups, pushups, chin-ups. The pressure generated from these exercises can cause an increase in blood pressure, which can increase pressure also on the heart. The impact will also be an increase in pressure on the lungs which can affect blood flow that is carried to the lungs. Patients with heart disorders, usually experience a surgical scar on the chest. If pressure on the lungs occurs, this can compress the chest wall, so that the surgical scar can be damaged, especially if the operation has only been done for about a year.

Other sports that must be avoided are rugby, boxing, and hockey. This physical exercise can cause injury and emphasis on the cardiovascular system. This physical activity forces children to compete hard in doing so, so it must be avoided. When the body is working too hard, adrenaline is released into the bloodstream, this can risk injuring and damaging the heart.

How to give understanding to children?

Understanding children is not easy, but you can do it slowly. You should tell that exercise can be done with a note that he feels fine. Give your child a choice of sports that is safe to do. If your child is very fond of sports, but there are obstacles that must be limited, it's time to focus on other activities that can hone his talent.

Always support and encourage your child to stay active. Do not let heart disease, limit its activities. You should also handle your fears when you see children who are passionate about their activities. Monitoring it must still be done, but limiting it to excess can make it become inferior.

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