Kolhapur: 10-Year-Old Boy Dies of Heart Attack While Playing at Ganesh Pandal

A 10-year-old boy died of a heart attack while he was playing with his friend at Ganpati pandal in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. According to the information, the boy felt uneasy while playing on Wednesday night (September 3) and went back home. He lay on his mother's lap. Suddenly, he suffered a heart attack and died on the spot. The child has been identified as Shravan Ajit Gawade. The heart-wrenching incident has left the village stunned.

The Gawade was the resident of Shivneri Gali, Anandnagar Colony of Kodoli village of the district. He was immediately rushed to the nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. 

Gawade was a class 4 student and was the only son in the family. The Gawde family has already lost their daughter four years earlier, now the  son's death has left the Gawde family devastated.

Also Read | Early Signs of Heart Attack: Everything You Need to Know.

Meanwhile, heart attack cases are rare at an early age, such as around 10 years old. However, sudden cardiac arrest can still occur in such cases. There are some possible reasons behind this:

Congenital heart disease
Some children are born with heart problems, such as narrowing of arteries or holes in the heart. These conditions sometimes remain without symptoms but can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
This is a genetic condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick. It can restrict blood flow and cause the heart to stop beating without warning. According to the Mayo Clinic in the US, it affects 1 in 500 people and is a leading cause of sudden death in teenagers.

Inflammation After Viral Infection
After COVID-19, inflammation in the heart muscle has been observed in children due to diseases like Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C). This can affect the heart and lead to heart failure.

Lifestyle and Diet
Today, children consume junk food, cold drinks, excess sugar and trans fats. Physical activity has decreased, leading to obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol from childhood.

According to an AIIMS report, 12% of school-going children in India are obese. An ICMR 2022 study suggests that over 10% of children were found to have high blood pressure and bad cholesterol.

Stress and Screen Time
School pressure, mobile addiction, and lack of sleep all cause mental and physical stress. Excessive secretion of the stress hormone (cortisol) affects the heart.