Baptist Health Paducah sponsors blood pressure screening for kids

Baptist Health Paducah is sponsoring Paducah Blood Pressure 4 Kids Awareness Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 21, at Kentucky Oaks Mall. Stars from the History Channel’s “Swamp People” will be present, and the first 500 kids will receive a goody bag from the hospital.

The National Pediatric Blood Pressure Awareness Foundation encourages everyone to wear red on that date to bring awareness to under diagnosed hypertension in children.

Volunteers from The Pediatric Group of Paducah will provide free blood pressure screenings for children ages 3 to 17. Pediatrician Jeffrey Mudd, M.D., said he rarely treated high blood pressure in children in the past, but it is becoming more common as a result of childhood obesity.

“This screening is a great opportunity for children to receive a free screening,” Dr. Mudd said.

The Edwards family, including Junior, Willie and Theresa, stars of the History Channel’s “Swamp People,” will meet fans and sign autographs during the screening.

An estimated two million children live with hypertension nationally. It is recommended for all children to receive routine blood pressure screens beginning at age 3.