High Blood Pressure in Children

About 1 in 3 adults nationwide has high blood pressure, or hypertension. But did you know that kids can get hypertension too? By some estimates, up to 3% of U.S. children have high blood pressure. A new study by NIH-funded scientists shows that the number of kids hospitalized with hypertension is rising.

Scientists analyzed data on children, ages 2 to 18 years, who were hospitalized for high blood pressure. Over a 10-year period, the number these hospitalizations nearly doubled, climbing from 12,661 in 1997 to 24,602 in 2006. On average, children with hypertension also remained in the hospital twice as long as kids with other illnesses—8 days compared to 4 days.

Pediatric hypertension can lead to later complications. “A child with high blood pressure is at increased risk for having high blood pressure in adulthood and the heart and stroke risks that come with that diagnosis,” says study co-author Dr. Cheryl Tran of the University of Michigan. She and her colleagues suggest that the rise in hospitalizations for hypertension may be partly due to increased childhood obesity.

Hypertension often has no symptoms, but it can be easily diagnosed by a health care provider. The sooner it’s found, the sooner it can be treated. A healthy diet, physical activity and weight loss can help to keep blood pressure in check.

All children 3 years of age and older should have their blood pressure checked regularly.

Having high blood pressure may not cause any symptoms. Having your child's blood pressure checked is the only way to know if he or she has high blood pressure. The normal range for blood pressure in children is usually lower than in adults. If the blood pressure is high at three health care visits, your child may need further testing.

Steps to keep your child's blood pressure in the healthy range

These tips are good for all children, especially those who have or are at risk for high blood pressure:

• Give your child healthy home cooked food
• Use less canned or pre-prepared food
• Encourage physical activity
• If your child smokes or chews tobacco, talk with his or her doctor about how to help your child quit.
• Make sure that your child takes his or her blood pressure medicine if prescribed.

What does it mean to eat a healthy diet?

Eating for healthy blood pressure means eating:

• less salt and packaged foods that are high in sodium, and
• more fruits and vegetables.