We present to you his reflections:
In recent years, specialists have increasingly noted a general decline in health among children. This is not limited to individual diseases; it concerns the complex impact of various factors that gradually weaken the body from an early age. The issue of children's health has long transcended individual choice and has become a matter of public significance.
How Childhood Has Changed
Decades ago, childhood was associated with outdoor activities, playing with friends, and physical exertion. Walks, hardening, and live communication were the foundation of everyday life.
Modern children are increasingly:
• spending most of their time indoors;
• experiencing a lack of physical activity;
• communicating with the surrounding world through screens;
• starting a sedentary lifestyle at an early age.
These changes are shaping a new generation that is becoming more isolated and less prepared for physical and social challenges.
Problems with Hardening and Adaptation
Previously, hardening began at an early age and was carried out systematically. Regular walks in the fresh air and gradual adaptation to cold weather contributed to increased resilience of the body, including the cardiovascular system.
Now, these traditions have almost disappeared. Children go outside less often, struggle more with climate changes, and get sick more frequently. This leads to a decrease in the overall resilience of the body to stress, negatively affecting health and endurance.
Sedentary Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Risks
As a pediatric cardiologist, I observe more and more consequences of hypodynamia. A lack of physical activity negatively affects the development of the heart and blood vessels. In my practice, I increasingly identify:
• disturbances in autonomic regulation;
• unstable blood pressure;
• functional heart rhythm disorders;
• low tolerance to physical exertion.
Movement is an important physiological stimulus for a growing body. In its absence, the cardiovascular system cannot develop properly.
Digital Childhood and Lack of Socialization
The digital environment has become a fundamental part of modern children's lives. Many of them hardly leave their homes, replacing live communication with virtual interactions. This lack of socialization, disruption of sleep and wakefulness patterns, as well as the absence of physical activity create chronic stress, which affects both heart function and the psycho-emotional state of the child.
The Disappearance of Collective Health Improvement
It is also important to note the disappearance of mass health improvement programs that previously contributed to strengthening children's immunity. Summer camps, health resorts, and regular group outings provided not only physical activity but also the formation of collective immune resilience.
Currently, children's participation in such programs has significantly decreased. Many of them grow up in a closed environment, deprived of regular contact with nature and peers. This leads to a decrease in adaptive capabilities and increased susceptibility to infections.
Refusal of Vaccination and Infectious Threats
The situation is exacerbated by another problem—the refusal of parents to comply with mandatory preventive vaccinations. A decrease in vaccination coverage leads to a loss of collective immunity and the resurgence of infections that were previously under control.
The absence of mass immunization creates a risk of local outbreaks and epidemics, especially for children with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular ones.
Self-Medication and Uncontrolled Use of Antibiotics
Self-treatment of children also remains a source of risk. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics without a doctor's prescription, especially for viral infections, leads to the development of antibiotic resistance, weakening of the immune system, and an increase in complications.
This practice undermines trust in medical prevention and creates a false sense of control over health.
The Future is at Risk
If current trends continue, society may face:
• an increase in chronic diseases among children and adolescents;
• a rise in cardiovascular disorders at a young age;
• a decrease in overall physical and social adaptation;
• an increased burden on healthcare.
This essentially forms a generation with weakened health and low adaptive potential.
Shared Responsibility for Children's Health
Caring for children's health is not only the responsibility of parents but also a task for society as a whole. A comprehensive approach is needed, including:
• the return of physical activity and collective forms of recreation;
• the development of accessible camps, sports, and health programs;
• a conscious attitude towards vaccination;
• a refusal of self-medication and trust in medical professionals;
• the formation of a culture of healthy lifestyle from an early age.
Children's health is a strategic resource for the country. The conditions we create today will determine the quality of life for future generations.
