Study: Children with hypertension more likely to develop learning disabilities

By Staff Writer

A recent study found that children who have high blood pressure are four times more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than those with normal readings.

According to Dallas-based news affiliate WFAA, researchers studied 201 patients between 10 and 18 years old. Of the children who had hypertension - which is when a person has an abnormally high blood pressure - approximately 28 percent had learning disabilities such as ADHD. The results were published in the journal Pediatrics.

The news provider reports that many children with high blood pressure can live normal, active lives if it is detected early enough. If untreated, high blood pressure can lead to damage to the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes. A doctor who worked on the study said that researchers are getting closer to understanding the relationship between hypertension and the cognitive function in children.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 9.5 percent of American children in 2008 had been diagnosed with ADHD, which is the highest level since doctors began diagnosing learning disabilities.