Children and Heart Diseases

Discussing heart diseases has been always related to elderly, in fact parents have to be aware that children also has a risk of heart health for kids.

Non-genetic heart diseases

The non-genetic heart diseases can be caused by bacteria or virus. For example myocarditis which is caused by virus that infect heart cells. Kids with very poor immune system have a high risk to suffer myocarditis, especially if the kids are born from parents with HIV.

Another non-genetic heart diseases which mostly infects under five year old children is Kawasaki diseases. Although the cause of Kawasaki has not been found, some researchers claims that Kawasaki diseases is caused by an abnormal reaction to bacteria. The symptoms can be seen through the inflammation in the blood vessels.

Kids who suffers Kawasaki disease will likely suffer inflammation in their mouth, lips, and throat. Based on the data of American Heart Association (AHA) the non-genetic heart diseases affects around 4.000 children in a year.

Genetic heart diseases

Discussing heart health for kids will always remind parents of the genetic factor. Besides the non-genetic, kid heart diseases can be genetic, which means the kids are inherited the disease from their parents. The most common genetic child-heart disease is rheumatic heart disease.

Rheumatic heart disease is likely affected by children in 5 to 15 years old. Since the symptom is not usually detected after some years of the infection, parents who have heart diseases history need to check their children as early as possible. However, if the kids show that they tend to be easily over tired and breathless or their joint are swollen and they often get pain in stomach, they can be suffer rheumatic heart diseases.

How to prevent and overcome kid heart diseases

Both the non-genetic and genetic kid heart diseases can be prevented if the parents are aware of the kids’ health since in pregnancy. Mothers, especially who have heart disease history, need to make sure that they are healthy and ready to get pregnant.

During the first three months of pregnancy, mothers need to avoid the X-ray, like the radiation of rontgen photo. Under the recommendation of the doctor, USG can be conducted since in around week 16 and 20, the heart of babies can be monitored. After the kids are born, parents have to pay attention to babies’ health.

Make sure they get enough sunshine, the heat of morning sunshine will killed some bacteria and viruses, beside it helps supplying vitamin D for the baby. The most import thing is that parents need to develop a healthy habits. Beside, understanding the heart health for kids, be a model for children and educate them since they are little.