Many experts argue that a decrease in blood pressure is not such a terrible symptom as an increase. However, low blood pressure in the child should alert parents, as this will be cause for concern. In particular, if the pressure decreases systematically, then this causes severe discomfort to the baby. Not every parent knows what to do if the child has low blood pressure. This is what will be discussed in the article.
Normal pressure
Newborn babies will always have less pressure than adults. This is due to the fact that in young children the system of regulation of 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 has the least contractile force.
If at this age a 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, indicators do not change much. It will also depend on the height and weight of the baby.
If the parents themselves want to identify whether the pressure in the child is low, then a simple calculation can be made: 76 + 2n, where n is the number of months of the baby.
Children, whose age is from 2 to 6 years, have not very different indicators - 100 / 60-112 / 74 mm Hg.
At the age of 6 to 9 years, blood pressure indicators should be as follows: 100 / 60-110 / 79 mm Hg.
And what will be the low blood pressure in a child of 10 years old? A reduced indicator is considered if it will be less than 110/70 mm Hg. As a rule, indicators of pressure in children at this age can often change. Reduced pressure in a child at 10 years old can 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 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, and will not threaten health.
Natural causes
What are the causes of low blood pressure in a child? First of all, it should include:
- Change in hormonal levels.
- Finding a baby in an unventilated room, as well as a lack of oxygen.
- Excessive exercise.
- Physiological changes.
It can be noted that if a child at the age of about 10 years constantly jumps in pressure, then the reason may lie in 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.
- Violation of the thyroid gland.
- Severe poisoning.
- Heart disease.
- Infections
- Anemia.
- An intestinal and stomach ulcer.
- Neurodermatitis.
- Bronchial asthma.
- Traumatic brain injury.
- Pneumonia.
- Allergy.
- Hypovitaminosis or vitamin deficiency.
- Bleeding.
- Poor metabolism.
Signs and Symptoms
Some parents do not 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 your eyes.
- Pale skin.
- Heavy head.
- Cold limbs.
- Unwillingness to move, drowsiness.
It can also be noted that often a symptom of hypotension is a decreased body temperature.
Headache
What to do if a 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 unpleasant sensations appear that cover the entire head. Pain appears after waking up in the morning, mental and physical exertion.
Many dads and mothers, especially young ones, do not know if the 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 reduced pressure, what medications. It is imperative to change the way of life, for example, to spend more time in the fresh air, go swimming, eat right, have more rest.
If a child has low intracranial pressure, then a specialist can prescribe vitamin complexes. Vitamins of group B and vitamin C are very effective in this case. In addition, pediatricians recommend adhering to a daily meat diet.
What to do?
First of all, you need to make an appointment with a neurologist. This specialist should prescribe tests, conduct the necessary studies. When the main cause of hypotension is the presence of a disease, the specialist should refer the baby to another doctor who will prescribe further treatment.
If the child has symptoms of low systolic pressure, and at the same time he has been diagnosed with vegetovascular dystonia, for example, before exams, competitions, then the baby needs to be given two tablets of “Glycine” 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 help improve memory, help with mental and physical stress.
In the event of a sharp drop in blood pressure in the home medicine cabinet, the following medications must be present:
- Ginseng tincture. It can instantly stabilize blood pressure, but should not be given to children who are less than 14 years old.
- Tincture of lemongrass.
- Tincture of Eleutherococcus. It is forbidden to give this tincture to children whose age is less than 12 years.
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 Eleutherococcus tincture 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 in case of low blood pressure.
What else can you do if your baby's blood pressure drops sharply? Sometimes experts recommend using Citramon for these purposes. It is allowed to drink this medicine for 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 difficult cases, for example, if the child has a 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's head is spinning abruptly, then he should move into the shade if he was outdoors 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 through the woods, away from dusty roads. At the same time, experts recommend devoting themselves to sports and tempering. It is good if the child is scheduled for swimming. Such regular exercises will allow the baby to stabilize the pressure.
If the child’s pressure drops sharply at the age of 6, then morning daily exercises, special breathing exercises, as well as water procedures that should alternate with cool and warm water will help.
Daily regime
Compliance is one of the most important points in the treatment of hypotension among children. Kids with this pathology should in no case be overstrained 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, after which take a contrast shower. The duration of sleep should be at least eight hours a day. At night, sleep must be complete. In addition, children should rest during the day.
Power Features
Children should eat food a day at least five times, in small portions. Those babies who suffer from hypotension must include in their daily diet foods that contain a large amount of protein. 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 reduced pressure, the child is recommended to give black chocolate, marshmallows, marshmallows, fresh vegetables, orange fruits, as well as dried fruits.
In adolescence, children are allowed to drink a moderate amount of coffee, as well as black tea.
Holiday vacation
In case of hypotension in children, experts strongly recommend traveling to places that differ in warm climatic conditions every year. While resting at sea, the baby actively moves, engages in swimming, breathes fresh sea air, which positively affects the state of all health in general.
Hypotension in adolescents
Many people think that adult patients 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 focusing all their attention on computer games, as well as watching videos, which are quite harmful to the body. Urban rhythms, the environment play an important role in children's health, 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 underestimated arterial parameters is the development of hypotensive-type vegetative-vascular dystonia. Another reason is the hormonal changes observed in adolescents during puberty.
In young girls, blood pressure may decrease due to large blood loss during prolonged and heavy periods. Often the cause of hypertension is also considered cervical osteochondrosis.
Conclusion
Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded 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 the help of 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 condition of the baby.