What was once considered a disease of only the elderly, heart attacks are now affecting even young children. The recent death of a 7-year-old in Uttar Pradesh from a heart attack while on his way to school has shocked everyone. This is not an isolated incident; heart-related problems in children have been increasing rapidly in recent years. It is, therefore, crucial that we take this threat seriously and take necessary steps in a timely manner.
Changing Lifestyle: The Biggest Threat to Children's Health
Today's children are more connected to mobile phones, TVs, and tablets than they are to playing and exercising. Spending hours in front of screens, spending time indoors instead of playing outside, has become commonplace. According to doctors, the lack of physical activity is causing diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol in children, which can later turn into heart diseases.
The time that was once for children to run in parks and playgrounds is now spent on online classes, games, and watching videos.
Taste Turning into Poison in Food: Junk Food Habits
Taste has taken the place of nutrition in children's diets. Pizza, burgers, French fries, chips, cold drinks, and sweet packaged foods have become a part of their daily lives. These foods not only increase obesity but also accumulate bad cholesterol in the body, narrowing the arteries. This obstructs blood flow to the heart, and this condition can eventually lead to a heart attack.
Doctors believe that the greatest need today is to provide children with fresh, balanced, and nutritious home-cooked food.
Increasing Pressure of Studies and Competition: Mental Stress is Also a Cause
Today's academic environment expects more results from children. The burden of tuition, school, online classes, and competition has forced children to live under stress. In addition, the negative impact of social media also affects their mental state.
Stress gives rise to hormonal changes, which can disrupt the regularity of heartbeats and put excessive pressure on the heart. This is also a major reason why heart attack cases are being reported at such a young age these days.
Genetic Factors and Medical Negligence
If there is a history of heart disease in a family, the chances of children getting the disease also increase. In addition, some children may have heart-related problems or genetic disorders related to cholesterol from birth.
Often, these conditions are without any symptoms in the initial stages, but if they are not checked in time, they can take a serious form. In such cases, regular medical checkups—such as blood pressure, lipid profile, ECG, and Echo—are also necessary for children, especially if there is a family history of heart disease.
Follow these measures to protect children from heart attacks
- Adopt an active routine: Include children in some physical activity (such as running, playing, cycling) for at least 60 minutes every day.
- Provide a healthy diet: Include home-cooked food, green vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, and protein-rich foods in the daily routine.
- Limit screen time: Do not use mobile phones, TVs, and laptops for more than one hour.
- Provide sufficient sleep: 9 to 11 hours of sleep is necessary for children aged 6–12 years, and 8–10 hours for adolescents.
- Pay attention to mental health: Yoga, meditation, pranayama, and the habit of talking openly help reduce stress in children.
- Get regular health checkups: Get children's blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol, and BMI checked once a year. If any symptoms are noticed, do not delay.
The increasing cases of heart attacks in children are a serious warning that negligence regarding health will not work anymore. A balanced diet, regular exercise, less screen time, and timely health checkups can protect children from this serious threat. Today's precautions will make their tomorrow safe and healthy.
