Congenital heart disease refers to defects in the heart that are present at birth (congenital). If your child has congenital heart disease, it indicates an issue with the structure or function of the heart.
Congenital cardiac disease comes in a variety of forms. Some are simple and do not require treatment. Others are more complex, necessitating medicine or surgery.
If your child has congenital heart disease, keep reading for advice on how to keep them healthy, active, and fit.
Congenital heart disease
Why is congenital heart disease associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity?
Children with congenital cardiac disease are more likely to be overweight or obese. This is due to a variety of factors, including:
Needing extra calories in childhood: Babies with congenital heart disease have a difficult time gaining weight because they expend more energy breathing quicker and trying to eat. They are fed high-calorie formula or vitamins to help them grow. However, following surgery or as their child’s symptoms improve, parents frequently continue to use the same higher-calorie feedings.
Having common risk factors: Studies demonstrate that certain groups of children are more likely to be obese, such as those who:
having a BMI that falls between the 85th and 95th percentiles
having an obese family history in one or both parents
gain weight quicker than they grow in height at an early age OR whose BMI rose rapidly before the age of seven
have adolescent weight gain that is excessive
were quite active and have since turned dormant
are generally inactive, particularly adolescents
Many children with congenital cardiac disease fall into one of these categories.
Exercise restrictions: Previously, doctors restricted physical activity for children and teenagers with congenital heart disease. Unfortunately, children who begin an inactive lifestyle are more likely to remain so. Now experts know that exercise and active play have many benefits and are safe for most children with congenital heart disease. Even when it’s doctor-approved, parents may worry about how exercise will affect their child. It can also be hard for kids who were told at first to limit their activity to get moving.
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Keeping a healthy weight
Your child’s weight will be monitored by your pediatrician to ensure that it remains within a healthy range. If your child is gaining weight too quickly, your doctor will discuss lifestyle adjustments with you. This involves dietary adjustments, exercise, and decreased idleness.
Eating a nutritious diet
Dietary guidelines for children and adolescents with congenital heart disease are the same as for any youngster. When planning meals, keep these ideas in mind.
Increase your child’s dietary fiber intake to at least 14 g per 1000 calories consumed. Fiber-containing foods include:
Fruits and vegetables that are in season
Brown rice, whole-grain pasta, corn, peas, and bread are examples of whole-grain foods.
Reduce your child’s dietary fat intake to less than 30% of their daily calorie intake. There are some easy ways to lose weight, such as:
Toppings such as grated low-fat Parmesan cheese, salsa, herbed cottage cheese, nonfat/low-fat gravy, low-fat sour cream, low-fat salad dressing, or yogurt are all good choices.
Choose skinless chicken and turkey, fish, lean beef cuts (round, sirloin, chuck, loin, and lean ground beef with less than 15% fat content), and lean pork cuts (tenderloin, chops, ham). Buy “choice” or “select” beef instead of “prime.” Remove any noticeable fat. Before consuming cooked fowl, remove the skin.
Include healthful oils in your child’s diet, such as canola or olive oil. Choose trans-fat-free vegetable oils manufactured from canola, corn, sunflower, soybean, or olive oil.
When cooking, use nonstick vegetable spray.
When cooking meat, poultry, or fish, use fat-free cooking methods such as baking, broiling, grilling, poaching, or steaming.
Limit your daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg. This includes minimizing your intake of full-fat dairy, red and processed meat, fried foods, and baked products.
Limit your daily salt intake to less than 2500 mg.
Limit sugar-sweetened beverages to no more than 4 ounces each day. Instead, encourage your child to drink water.
Learn about actual serving sizes. One slice of bread, for example, is one serving, not two (even if we use two for sandwiches).
To locate items with less saturated fat per serving, look for the Nutrition Facts label on food containers. When making your selections, keep the serving size in mind. Keep in mind that the % daily values on food labels are based on adult portion sizes and calorie levels. You’ll need to make adjustments for your child.
Keeping active
All children and adolescents, including those with congenital heart disease, should engage in regular physical activity or sports. Medical practitioners advise youngsters to engage in 60 minutes of physically active play or sports per day, every day.
Regular physical exercise aids in the prevention of weight gain and the start of adult heart diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. Exercise has been shown in numerous trials to help prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The majority of children with congenital cardiac disease survive into adulthood. Obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes can all harm your heart if you have congenital heart disease. This is why everyone with congenital heart disease should engage in regular exercise.
How to Prioritize Physical Activity
Physical activity is important for everyone, including children and teenagers with congenital heart disease. Here are some ideas for increasing your child’s exercise level:
Ensure that your child gets at least one hour of moderate to strenuous movement per day. They should exercise vigorously at least three times per week.
Manage your family’s media use (computer, video game, TV, tablet, smartphone, and so on) to maintain a healthy mix of online and offline activity. TVs, devices, and screens should be kept out of your child’s bedroom.
Support your child’s school’s recommendations for daily physical education.
How to Live an Active Lifestyle
In today’s hectic environment, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for youngsters to play and run outside on a daily basis. As a result, organized sports and exercise activities are viable possibilities. Allow your youngster to choose an activity or sport to try. If they appreciate it, they will want to do it again.
Organizing activities with friends might also help your youngster keep active. Team sports are a fun way to exercise with your buddies. Getting family members involved might also help. Take walks, treks, or bike trips as a family. Do stretches or a fitness DVD together. Play a fun dancing video game. Try bowling, roller skating, or laser tag with your family.
Another technique to make exercise more enjoyable is to use step counters or heart rate monitors. Most devices allow you to define objectives. This promotes increased physical activity. Your child may be motivated to see how many steps they’ve taken in a day or how long their pulse rate has been high during an exercise.
Keep in mind that sports and exercise should be enjoyable. Children are more inclined to exercise or participate in sports they enjoy. The goal is to develop a habit of regular exercise that will last a lifetime. Forcing your child to perform something he or she does not enjoy or find pleasant will not last. Be creative in your approach to getting out there and having fun with fitness.
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