The high stakes of heart disease in children

If you ask the mother of Shawyntee Mayo, MD, she will tell you she always knew her daughter would become a doctor. A pediatric psychiatric nurse in New York City, Dr. Mayo's mother worked with her fair share of doctors and knew what it would take for her own little girl to grow up and fill those shoes. She knew her daughter was made of the same stuff.

It wasn't until Dr. Mayo began her residency at Duke University Medical Center that she knew the field to which she would inevitably dedicate her life. Inspired by her mentor, Brenda Armstrong, MD, the second female African American pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Mayo began her path to becoming a pediatric preventive cardiologist.

"She's an amazing woman," said Dr. Mayo. "I wasn't sure which field I was going to end up in, but then I met Dr. Armstrong and I knew I wanted to be in pediatric preventive cardiology."

It might come as a surprise that the field of preventive cardiology even exists for the pediatric population. Why do the young ones in America need this sort of care in the first place? Whether it's because of lack of knowledge or simply the lack of resources, many children today are leading unhealthy lifestyles that result in obesity, high cholesterol and other complications that you don't often associate with kids.

Risk factors for pediatric cardiovascular disease

Childhood obesity certainly is not a new epidemic, but it's at an all-time high. Currently, it's estimated that one in five children and adolescents (or 14.7 million) ages 2-19 are obese. Obesity is associated with serious health risks, particularly relating to the heart. High blood pressure, coronary heart disease and high cholesterol are just some of the ways obesity can affect the health of children today and even more so when they become adults.

While lifestyle choices are one of the key factors that can lead to obesity and high cholesterol levels, a person doesn't have to be obese to have high readings. Certain genetic factors and disorders can lead to unhealthy cholesterol levels. Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disorder that leads to aggressive and premature cardiovascular disease. For those with FH, diet and lifestyle are important but they're not the cause of high cholesterol. In these patients, genetic mutations make the liver incapable of removing excess cholesterol.

Dr. Mayo works alongside other nationally renowned pediatric cardiologists, electrophysiologists and cardiovascular surgeons at Wolfson Children's C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute. She said the childhood obesity epidemic has made it more important than ever for children to be screened for risk factors of adult heart disease, and Dr. Mayo and her colleagues are committed to serving the children in Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia and well beyond.

A family-centered approach to pediatric heart health

"It's so much more than just identifying the risk," explained Dr. Mayo. "It's about teaching a whole new lifestyle and supporting the entire family in that lifestyle change."

A mother to a toddler, Dr. Mayo can empathize with the parents accompanying their child in the exam room.

"I have never met a parent who didn't want what was best for their child," she said. "They're here because they know their child needs our help, and I support and applaud that. As a parent, it isn't always easy to ask for help. Once I became a mother, I had a new appreciation for what they might be feeling during that first appointment."

Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention