Vol. 29, No. 3
Acrobat PDF version of
Growing Together also available
More about nephrology
Nephrology is a
medical specialty
that deals with
disorders of the
kidney, urinary
tract and hyperten-
sion. The pediatric nephrologists at
Dayton Children’s
focus on the care
of infants, children
and teens with
these types of
disorders.
Staff
Leonardo Canessa,
MD, director
of nephrology
and pediatric
nephrologist
Abiodun Omoloja,
MD, pediatric
nephrologist
Tammy Brockman,
CPNP, certified
nurse practitioner
Linda Powers, RN, registered nurse
Melissa Hartigan,
RN, registered
nurse
We’re in your neighborhood
Dayton Children’s pediatric nephrol-
ogy services along
with other key
pediatric special-
ties are located
close to home for
families in Middle-
town, Lima and Springfield.
For more informa-
tion: Visit www.
childrensday
ton.org
.
|
Dayton Children'sfocus |
Childhood hypertension
Fighting a grown-up disease
Lacey Moore of Middletown relaxes with one of her three dogs. Lacey is being treated at Dayton Children’s for hypertension.
Being 13 years old can be a very exciting and confusing time for so many teenagers. Getting to
know your peers, attending school dances, joining band, playing sports and ultimately getting thrown a few curveballs along the way all exemplify this very crazy time.
Lacey Moore of Middletown was thrown a curveball when she learned that she had hypertension. She was just 12 years old.
Hypertension is a condition characterized by high blood pressure. At the time of her diagnosis, Lacey was being treated for a heart murmur by Michael Ralston, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. During her evaluation, Dr. Ralston found that Lacey had hypertension.
Before she was diagnosed with high blood pressure, Lacey had complained of headaches to her mother, Valerie Moore. She thought it was merely allergies that were causing her daughter’s discomfort.
“I had heard about hypertension in children, but it didn’t seem very common,” Valerie says. “When I was growing up, hypertension wasn’t as common in children as it is today.” According to Abiodun Omoloja, MD, a pediatric nephrologist at Dayton Children’s, hypertension affects approximately one to three percent of children in the United States.
Dr. Omoloja has been treating Lacey’s hypertension since the diagnosis. Over the years, he and other pediatric nephrologists have noticed an increase in the number of hypertension cases in children Lacey’s age and younger. According to Dr. Omoloja, some cases cannot be prevented because of family history and medical conditions. However, the majority of cases have been due to the recent trend of obesity and poor diets. In fact, recent cases of hypertension due to obesity have been found in children as young as four years old.
Those who have hypertension as a result of obesity and a poor diet can start making their lives better.
“I encourage all of my patients to exercise regularly, watch their weight and eat healthy foods that are low in both salt and calories,” Dr. Omoloja says.
Although Lacey has a family history of hypertension – both grandfathers and great-grandmothers had hypertension – she must strive for a much healthier life. “Lacey is on a low-sodium diet consisting of good foods like fruits and vegetables. She’s eating right and taking medication to keep her blood pressure low,” Valerie says.
Dr. Omoloja with Lacey. He is one of the pediatric specialists from Dayton Children’s providing services
in Middletown.
Dr. Omoloja believes that parents should know three facts about hypertension:
• Children can have hypertension; make sure to discuss this with your pediatrician or family doctor.
• Children with a family history of hypertension are more at risk. Knowing your family medical history can be helpful.
• Making sure your child is eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise are ways to prevent your child from getting hypertension.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that blood pressure should be checked every year past three years of age. “Early detection and treatment are important to the child’s well being today and later in life,” Dr. Omoloja says.
Once every three to four months, Lacey visits Dr. Omoloja for check-ups. Fortunately, Dayton Children’s offers many of its pediatric specialty services at Middletown Regional Hospital. Both Lacey and her mother find this option a great convenience.
Lacey, now 13, enjoys all the things a girl her age normally does. Some of her interests are playing with her three dogs Molly, Sasha and Peaches. She also likes riding her bike with friends.
Believe it or not, she even enjoys visiting Dr. Omoloja at the Middletown nephrology clinic.
“It’s fun because the nurses make me laugh and I can make them laugh too,” says Lacey. “Dr. Omoloja enjoys talking to me and enjoys having me as one of his patients. I feel very comfortable talking to him about what’s going on in my life. ”
Lacey’s condition could be lifelong, but it depends on
many different factors. Dr. Omoloja says that if Lacey continues to lose weight and keep a normal blood pressure for her age, she may be able to ultimately beat hypertension and leave this behind her.
Meanwhile, you won’t find Lacey’s hypertension getting the best of her, she leads a healthy lifestyle with a strong support system from Dayton Children’s nephrology staff along with family and friends.
Table of Contents |
1 Back to school immunizations
5 VCUG: A procedure designed for kids
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