Bao Tram continuously wets the bed, is nervous and coughs, her family took her to Tam Anh General Clinic in District 7 for examination, and discovered she had high blood pressure.

Bao Tram is being examined at a medical facility.

At the clinic, I was ordered to have a urine test, blood count, ultrasound and blood pressure measurement. The results showed that there were red blood cells in the urine, blood pressure was 137/89 mmHg (normal for a person is

The patient was transferred to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for inpatient treatment, where pediatricians consulted with cardiologists and performed a 24-hour Holter monitor to monitor heart rate.

The results showed that the child had secondary hypertension with microscopic hematuria and bronchitis. He was prescribed medical treatment with Amlodipine 5mg to help lower blood pressure, along with diuretics and treatment for persistent cough.

On October 14, Dr. Duong Anh Dung, Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that after 4 days of inpatient treatment, the patient's blood pressure decreased to 120/80 mmHg, no longer had bedwetting and coughing, so he was discharged. The doctor prescribed medication, instructed the family to monitor at home and screen for the cause of high blood pressure, and return for a follow-up visit as scheduled.

Mr. Nam, the patient's father, said he did not think his daughter had high blood pressure because the family still took her for regular health checkups every year but did not detect the disease.

Bao Tram is slightly overweight but her BMI is still at a stable level. “Before that, she had no symptoms of the disease. In the past 10 days, she had a cough. Four days ago, she started wetting the bed. She often complained of stress because she had just started middle school. There was a lot of homework, and the teaching and learning methods were different, so I thought she had psychological problems,” Nam shared.

Explaining this issue, Dr. Dung advised that high blood pressure in children often has no specific symptoms, and many parents mistakenly think that it only occurs in adulthood, which can easily lead to a subjective mentality.

High blood pressure is considered a “silent killer” because it progresses silently and is difficult to detect. If not detected and treated promptly, it can lead to stroke, damage to target organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain, etc. and death.

Hypertension is a relatively rare disease in children, according to statistics worldwide, about 4% of children have high blood pressure. In the US, this number is about 2 - 4% and 3 - 4% of children have blood pressure higher than normal.

The disease occurs when blood pressure is equal to or higher than the 95th percentile compared to children of the same sex, age and height. The disease has two forms, including primary (unknown cause, the doctor will make an exclusion diagnosis to detect the disease) and secondary due to other disorders, the most common of which are kidney disease or vascular malformations, narrowing of the arteries, etc.

To detect and treat the disease early, parents need to take their children for regular health check-ups at specialized medical facilities with adequate equipment for accurate screening. According to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, healthy children over 3 years old should have their blood pressure checked every year.

Premature babies weighing less than 2,500g, with kidney disease, congenital heart disease, need to have their blood pressure checked immediately after birth. Children under 3 years old with a history of premature birth under 32 weeks, birth weight under 2,500g, congenital heart disease, kidney disease... also need to have their blood pressure checked at each visit.

The disease will be detected by measuring with a mercury sphygmomanometer, a clock sphygmomanometer, an oscillometer or an electronic sphygmomanometer. In addition, in some cases, the doctor will order additional paraclinical tests such as brain MRI, renal arteriography, and hormone quantification.

In addition, the disease can be prevented by helping children maintain a healthy lifestyle such as keeping their body weight at a reasonable level; eating scientifically, limiting foods high in sugar, fat, and salty foods; eating lots of fiber, green vegetables, and fruits.

In addition, children should be encouraged to exercise, play sports, and have healthy fun. Limit watching TV, playing games, using computers, and phones. At the same time, avoid stress and pressure on children, and balance between studying and entertainment.

For children who are already sick, it is necessary to follow the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to limit foods high in cholesterol and saturated fatty acids such as animal fat, skin, organs, egg yolks; monitor weight; do not expose children to cigarette smoke; take medication on time and return for check-ups as prescribed.

In particular, you should equip yourself with a blood pressure monitor at home. Before measuring blood pressure, let your child rest comfortably for 10-15 minutes, let the child lie still and measure both arms according to the instructions.

When children have symptoms such as dizziness, headache, sweating, vomiting, anxiety, palpitations, etc., they should be taken to the nearest medical facility for timely examination.