Contents:
- Medical Video: Concussion / Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- What are the signs and symptoms of hypertension in children?
- Causes of hypertension in children
- What treatment is done to treat hypertension in children?
- Don't worry, hypertension in children is very likely to be prevented
Medical Video: Concussion / Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
In the past, high blood pressure or hypertension was experienced by adults or the elderly. However, now these conditions have also been owned by children and adolescents. Yes, hypertension is no longer synonymous with old age, even children can experience it. So, what causes hypertension in children? Is it the same as hypertension in adults? How is the treatment?
What are the signs and symptoms of hypertension in children?
In fact, a 3-year-old child can experience high blood pressure. Hypertension in children of course will make it risky for hypertension as well as adults. Meanwhile, hypertension in adults has been shown to cause a variety of risks of chronic diseases to premature death.
Slightly different from adults, children have their own limits in determining whether their blood pressure rises or not. Here are the limits of hypertension in children:
0-13 years
- Normal: below the 90th percentile
- Prehypertension: 90-95 percentile
- Hypertension: more than 95th percentile
14-18 years old
- Normal: below 120/80 mmHg
- Prehypertension: 120/80 to 129/80 mmHg
- Hypertension: 130/80 mmHg
In children under 13 years, the limit of blood pressure uses a percentile, according to age, gender, and height. To find out if your child is really experiencing high blood pressure, you should consult your child with a doctor.
Causes of hypertension in children
Hypertension that occurs in children actually has the same causes as hypertension in adults. Blood pressure rises due to the heart that works and pumps blood harder due to something. Well, the cause of the heart pumping harder depends on the type of hypertension that your child is experiencing naturally. Hypertension in children is divided into two, depending on the cause, namely:
- Primary, namely the condition of blood pressure that occurs directly because of a poor lifestyle.
- Secondary. Blood pressure increases due to a certain health condition that has previously been experienced. For example, your child has a kidney or heart function disorder.
What treatment is done to treat hypertension in children?
Treatment of hypertension in children will be adjusted to the cause. If your child is experiencing primary hypertension, then what will be done is the application of healthy eating patterns, low salt diets, and weight loss programs for obese children. All these things are done to control blood pressure to remain normal.
Meanwhile, if children experience high blood pressure due to other health conditions, such as kidney function disorders, then of course these health conditions should be treated first. To find out the treatment method that is suitable for your child, you should consult a pediatrician.
Don't worry, hypertension in children is very likely to be prevented
Primary hypertension is very likely to be prevented, especially if you are still a child. Mostly, primary hypertension is caused by a poor lifestyle. For example, obese children, rarely do physical activity, and do not eat healthy and fibrous foods, can make him exposed to high blood pressure.
So, it's best to apply a healthy lifestyle to your child early on. That way, he will be released from the risk of obesity and other chronic diseases that might be able to attack children.
