A Guide to Children's Heart Health

It goes without saying that we don’t love anyone more than our children. We make constant efforts to ensure the well-being of their fragile souls in this sometimes-cruel world. However, when it comes to taking care of their heart health, we often adopt a problematic, ignorant attitude. We live in a deluded reality where we think our children can’t be impacted by heart problems. This cavalier behavior of adults can prove to be dangerous for children and lead to their heart health graph plummeting in no time. Hence, we are making this attempt to bust the myth that children cannot be affected by heart problems and spread awareness for adults to take timely actions to make sure their children’s innocent hearts always thrive.

Heart Problems in Children

While it appears that children normally steer clear of heart problems due to a lack of stress in their lives, it is reported that 1 in every 100 children around the world is impacted by Congenital Heart Defects (CHD). This heart problem is prevalent in children at the time of birth and can cause them serious trouble.

Not only this, but in recent studies, children under 5 have also been catching a disease called Kawasaki Disease, which causes inflammation of their coronary arteries (the blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart muscle). All these heart problems are severe, but they can be avoided with correct guidance and good care.

Role of Parents in Improving/Deteriorating Heart Health of Children

The role of parenting is critical in maintaining the good heart health of children. Parents must take responsibility for their children’s heart health by ensuring the following:

• Take children for regular complete body checkups.
• Make sure the diet you provide your children is rich in nutrition.
• Monitor the day-to-day activities of your children and take timely action in case of any health problem.
• Keep track of your children’s daily physical activities.
• Seek guidance from a specialist to maintain good heart health in your children.

Heart Problem Symptoms: Similarities and Contrasts in Children and Adults

The symptoms of heart problems in children are not necessarily the same as those in adults. So, it is important to know how you can find out if your children have an unhealthy heart.

Similarities in Symptoms

• Both adults and children face chest pain when they have a heart problem. While chest pain in adults is more in the vein of discomfort or pressure, children normally experience traditional chest pain.
• When facing heart problems, children run out of breath being at rest or during exertion, which is strikingly similar to heart problem symptoms in adults.
• Irregular heartbeats or rapid heart palpitations are other common heart problem symptoms in adults and kids.
• Adults and children tend to experience inexplicable fatigue when experiencing a problem related to the heart.

Contrasts in Symptoms

• The symptoms of heart problems in children may appear as irritability or poor feeding, which is not casually shown by adults.
• Children normally exhibit a bluish skin color when encountered with cyanosis, which is not common in adults.
• Swelling of parts like legs, abdomen, and the area around the eyes is also a symptom of heart problems in kids different from adults.
• Respiratory problems in children are more prominent than in adults when facing heart issues.

Reduce Cardiovascular Diseases Risk in Children with Correct Approach

Children are not immune to cardiovascular diseases, but with the correct approach, we can reduce their risk. Be a good parent to your child and take care of their vulnerable hearts with utmost dedication. Spread awareness in society regarding heart health in children. Our children’s heart health future is in our hands, so it is about time we understand our responsibility and ensure that our children’s hearts only bloom with happiness and joy, and no disease could ever reach even its periphery.