Many experts argue that a decrease in blood pressure is not such a terrible symptom as an increase. However, low blood pressure in a child should alert parents, as this will be a cause for concern. In particular, if the pressure is reduced systematically, then this causes severe discomfort to the baby. Not every parent knows what to do if a child has low blood pressure. This is what the article will be about.
Normal pressure
Newborn babies will always have lower blood pressure than adults. This is due to the fact that in young children the system for regulating pressure, as well as vascular tone, is imperfect. In addition, in children, unlike adults, the capillary network is better developed, and the vascular walls have increased extensibility and elasticity. In addition, the child's heart hasthe least contractile force.
If at this age the low blood pressure in a child is 60/40-96/50 mm Hg, then this is the absolute norm. With age, this indicator increases, and in the second month of life, these indicators will normally be 80/45-112/75 mm Hg.
By the age of one year, the indicators do not change much. This will also depend on the height and weight of the baby.
If parents want to find out for themselves whether the child's blood pressure is low, then a simple calculation can be made: 76+2n, where n is the number of months of the baby.
Children aged 2 to 6 years have not much difference - 100/60-112/74 mmHg
Ages 6 to 9 years of age, blood pressure readings should be as follows: 100/60-110/79 mmHg
And what will be the low blood pressure in a child of 10 years old? A reduced indicator is considered if it is less than 110/70 mm Hg. As a rule, pressure indicators in children at this age can often change. Low blood pressure in a 10-year-old child may be accompanied by headache, tachycardia, and it can also cause fainting.
Causes of hypotension
Hypotension in children is of two varieties: natural and pathological. Pathological is associated with the processes of the same name that occur in the circulatory system, blood vessels and heart. Natural hypotension does not affect the well-being of the child in any way, while it will not threaten he alth.
Natural causes
What are the causes of low blood pressure in a child? First of all, this should include:
- Changes in hormonal levels.
- Baby in an unventilated area and lack of oxygen.
- Excessive exercise.
- Physiological changes.
It can be noted that if a child at the age of about 10 years old constantly jumps in pressure, then the reason may lie in the constant changes in weather conditions. However, weather sensitivity is quite rare in childhood.
Pathological causes
There are also pathological reasons why a child has low blood pressure. These include:
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Disruption of the thyroid gland.
- Severe poisoning.
- Heart disease.
- Infections.
- Anemia.
- Ulcer of the intestines and stomach.
- Neurodermatitis.
- Asthma.
- Tranio-cerebral injury.
- Pneumonia.
- Allergy.
- Hypovitaminosis or beriberi.
- Bleeding.
- Bad metabolism.
Signs and symptoms
Some parents don't know how to detect hypotension in their baby. Symptoms of low blood pressure in a child will be as follows:
- Unreasonable fatigue and weakness.
- Frequent headaches.
- Dizziness.
- Flies before the eyes.
- Pale skin.
- Heavy head.
- Cold limbs.
- Reluctance to move, drowsiness.
It can also be noted that low body temperature often acts as a symptom of hypotension.
Headaches
What should I do if my child has low blood pressure and headaches? Often parents do not know how to respond to these symptoms. As a rule, children begin to complain of aching, dull and paroxysmal soreness in the temple area. Sometimes there are unpleasant sensations that cover the entire head. There is soreness after waking up in the morning, mental and physical exertion.
Many fathers and mothers, especially young ones, do not know if a child has low blood pressure, what to do with this symptom. First of all, you need to show your baby to a specialist who will find out the true cause of such an ailment, after which he will prescribe effective methods of treatment. As a rule, it is the doctor who advises parents what to give the child with low blood pressure, what medications. Be sure to make lifestyle changes, such as spending more time outdoors, swimming, eating right, getting plenty of rest.
If a child has low intracranial pressure, then a specialist can prescribe vitamin complexes. Vitamins of group B, vitamin C are very effective in this case. In addition, pediatricians recommend sticking to a daily meat diet.
What to do?
First of all, you need to make an appointment with a neurologist. This specialist must appointanalyzes, conduct the necessary research. When the main cause of hypotension is the presence of some kind of disease, then the specialist should refer the baby to another doctor who will prescribe further treatment.
If a child has symptoms of low systolic pressure, and in parallel with this, he is diagnosed with vegetovascular dystonia, for example, before exams, competitions, then the baby should be given two Glycine tablets under the tongue. In a pharmacy, they cost quite a bit, but the effectiveness of this medication is quite high.
You can also give your baby a course of these medicines. One tablet is drunk three times a day. The duration of therapy is about a month. In addition to the sedative effect, Glycine tablets improve memory, help with mental and physical stress.
In the event of a sharp drop in blood pressure, the following medicines must be present in the home first aid kit:
- Ginseng tincture. It can instantly stabilize blood pressure, but should not be given to children under the age of 14.
- Schisandra tincture.
- Eleutherococcus tincture. Do not give this tincture to children under the age of 12.
Treatment with these tinctures should also be carried out for at least 1 month.
Those children who suffer from low blood pressure can take 12 drops of tinctureEleutherococcus 20 minutes before eating. Drops are applied twice a day. In this case, the last reception is carried out until 18 pm. This medicine is used as an emergency treatment for low blood pressure.
What else can you do if your baby has a sharp drop in blood pressure? Sometimes experts recommend using Citramon for these purposes. It is allowed to drink this drug to children whose age is more than 15 years. This drug can increase blood pressure due to the caffeine contained in the composition. But this option is exceptional, and it should be used only in the most severe cases, for example, if the child has a severe headache.
It should be noted that the most dangerous consequence of hypotension is the probability of losing consciousness. Parents must inform their child about this. If the baby is suddenly dizzy, then he should move into the shade if he was outside under the sun. Such children should always carry water with them.
Physical activity
Children who suffer from hypotension must necessarily spend a large amount of time outdoors. Every day the child should walk for at least two hours. It is best to take a walk in the forest, away from dusty roads. At the same time, experts recommend devoting yourself to sports, tempering yourself. It is good if the child is registered for swimming. Such regular exercises will allowbaby to stabilize the pressure.
If a child has a sharp drop in blood pressure at the age of 6, morning daily exercises, special breathing exercises, and water procedures, which should alternate with cool and warm water, will help well.
Daily routine
Compliance with the regimen is one of the most important points in the treatment of hypotension among children. Babies with this pathology should in no case overexert themselves in order to avoid stress on the heart, central nervous system, and the whole body.
After waking up in the morning, it is imperative to do exercises, and then take a contrast shower. Sleep should be at least eight hours a day. At night, sleep must be complete. In addition, children should also rest during the day.
Features of food
Children should eat at least five times a day, with small portions. Those babies who suffer from hypotension must necessarily include foods that contain a large amount of protein in their daily diet. This element is present in large quantities in cheese, cottage cheese, chicken breast, veal, shrimp, milk, peanuts, lentils, tuna.
If we talk about sweets, then in case of low blood pressure, the child is recommended to give dark chocolate, marshmallows, marshmallows, fresh vegetables, orange fruits, and dried fruits.
In adolescence, children are allowed to drink moderateamount of coffee as well as black tea.
Resort vacation
In the case of hypotension in children, experts strongly recommend every year to travel to those places that have warm climatic conditions. While relaxing on the sea, the baby actively moves, swims, breathes fresh sea air, which has a positive effect on the state of he alth in general.
Hypotension in adolescents
Many people think that it is adult patients who most often suffer from low blood pressure. However, everything is different. Try to remember what your childhood days were like. Previously, there were no gadgets, only natural products, as well as walks in the fresh air. Now the younger generation is riveting all its attention to computer games, as well as watching videos, which are quite harmful to the body. Urban rhythms, the environment play an important role in the he alth of children, negatively affecting the general condition. It is from here that various kinds of diseases appear.
So why are teenagers often diagnosed with low blood pressure? The first most common cause of low blood pressure is the development of hypotensive-type vegetative-vascular dystonia. Another reason is the hormonal changes that occur in adolescents during puberty.
In young girls, blood pressure may decrease due to large blood loss during long and heavy menstruation. Often, cervical osteochondrosis is also considered the cause of hypertension.
Conclusion
Based on the above, we can conclude that low blood pressure is the norm for young children. However, in adolescence, this kind of deviation can be a symptom of some serious illness. In any case, if the parents have suspicions of some kind of pathology, then it is imperative to seek help from a pediatrician. If the child is diagnosed with hypotension, then it is necessary to adhere to all the recommendations that the doctor will give. Do not self-medicate, as this can only provoke a deterioration in the baby's condition.
