How Does Early Pediatric Heart Screening Save the Lives of Young Children?

Around one in five adolescents today has high cholesterol levels, which are one of the main reasons that impact their heart health as they grow up. Closely related to life-threatening conditions like stroke and heart attack, doctors say pediatric heart screenings remain uncommon. While genetics plays a powerful role in heart health, children whose parents have heart disease or high cholesterol can silently inherit the same risks.“Without early checks, these risks can go unnoticed and increase health complications and treatment complexities. It is always better to make preventive health checks a part of a healthy routine for the complete family,” Dr Mayanka Lodha Seth, chief pathologist, Redcliffe Labs, told Times Now. Dr Seth suggests taking

a simple full-body checkup for your child to keep non-communicable diseases like thyroid, diabetes, cholesterol, and even heart risks away. Since healthcare has undergone many advancements, it has become easier to detect heart-related issues with precise and non-invasive tests. And so, doctors say regular cholesterol, diabetes, and other important parameters checked at the right age can reveal conditions like familial hypercholesterolaemia and inherited disorders that can increase the likelihood of early heart diseases. “If these conditions are identified in a timely manner during childhood, it allows doctors to guide families on lifestyle and dietary changes or start treatment to control the prolonged risks,” said Dr Seth. However, experts feel screenings are underused, as many children as possible who should be tested between the ages of 9 and 11 years, or some even earlier, with a family history of premature heart disease, are not evaluated. “Busy pediatric visits, inconsistent guidelines, and a lack of awareness among parents contribute to these missed opportunities. In regions where routine checks are less common, these gaps leave many vulnerable families unaware of their child’s risk,” Dr Seth added.

Most common pediatric heart conditions

A few common paediatric heart conditions include:

Congenital heart defects

Structural issues present at birth, such as holes in the heart or abnormal heart valves.

Arrhythmias

Irregular heartbeats may cause fatigue, fainting, or discomfort.

Heart infections

Conditions like endocarditis or myocarditis, which affect the inner lining or muscle of the heart.

Cardiomyopathies

Diseases of the heart muscle that affect the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively.

Acquired heart diseases

Conditions that develop after birth due to infections or autoimmune responses, such as rheumatic heart disease.

Lifestyle factors and preventive care for stronger hearts

According to experts, modern lifestyles add a lot of challenges to children’s health and well-being. Kids today have easy access to junk and processed foods, which include more sugar-rich and processed snacks, increasing their chances of obesity and diabetes, both of which are linked to future heart problems. When combined with a genetic predisposition, these factors accelerate the onset of cardiovascular disease. Doctors say only regular pediatric health checkups and timely screenings offer a practical way to reduce these risks. Parents should discuss family heart history with their child’s doctor and ensure cholesterol or heart screenings are done as recommended. Early detection, supported by improved diagnostic tools, empowers families to make dietary and lifestyle adjustments or seek specialist care when needed.