4 Critical Diseases Which Can Impact Your Kid’s Heart Health

Heart is one of the most vital organs in our body. It works nonstop till the time we are alive to pump the blood that carries oxygen and other vital components to each and every part of the body. If the heart is not healthy, it can have serious implications on our overall health. Heart diseases are serious conditions that can affect anyone including children. It can range from mild asymptomatic conditions to severe life threatening ones. It is important to consult a cardiologist as soon as you experience any symptoms of heart disease.

There are several experienced cardiologists in Singapore. If you feel that your child is showing any symptom that can be due to a heart disease, it is advisable that you take your child to any of the paediatric hospital in Singapore immediately. There are several diseases that are found specifically in children which can severely affect their heart.

Various diseases that can affect children’s heart:

• Atherosclerosis – it basically mean when fat and cholesterol build up inside the arteries. It is not very common in children as it takes years to develop, however, problems like obesity, diabetes etc. put children at a greater risk. With the increase in build-up, arteries become narrow and stiff which in turn increases the heart attacks.

• Kawasaki disease – this is one of the major causes of heart diseases and most commonly affect children younger than five years. It causes inflammation in blood vessels throughout the body. It can also cause fever, rashes or swelling in lymph nodes. There are treatment available for this problem, however, children suffering from the same require constant follow-ups with the doctor to keep a check on their heart health.

• Viral infections – viral infections may not sound very serious, but it can also affect the heart health. It can cause myocarditis which can affect the ability of one’s heart to pump the blood through the body. It is rare in children, but the symptoms will appear like flu only. It is advisable to take them to a paediatric hospital in Singapore if they experience any such symptom.

• Heart murmurs – heart murmurs can be normal in children, however, in certain cases, some children are born with a defect that can cause this problem. It can also be caused due to fever, anaemia or any infection. If the doctor hears any abnormal heart beat or murmurs in a child, tests will be performed to check for the problem and further proceed for the treatment.

When taking care of one's health, special attention needs to be paid to the heart, which is the most important organ in your body. Diseases of the heart can go undetected for a long duration before you develop any symptom. There can also be various heart conditions that can be found in children. Some of them have been discussed above.

If you notice any change in the child's normal behaviour, stamina or find any other symptom that can even be remotely associated with a heart disease, then it is of paramount importance that you consult a cardiologist in Singapore for a detailed check-up and detection of the problem at the earliest, if any. It is the responsibility of the parents to keep a track of their child's health to enable them to lead a healthy life.