Can Children Suffer From High Blood Pressure?

The short answer is yes! High blood pressure or hypertension in children is currently acknowledged as a significant health issue, is largely underdiagnosed and is a growing worry to healthcare professionals. It is often the result of obesity, stress and sometimes family history. Diagnosing high blood pressure in children is complex because normal and abnormal blood pressure measures vary with age, height and gender. Systemic high blood pressure is less common in children than in adults. Such incidences range between 1% and 5%.

Present-day guidelines for children are dependent on established percentile ranges for a child’s body size. Pre-hypertension in children is diagnosed when the average systolic or diastolic blood pressure levels are above the 90th percentile but lesser than the 95th percentile. For adolescents, blood pressure readings greater than 120/80 are considered prehypertensive, similar to adults. Increasing rates of childhood and adolescent hypertension is shown to correspond with increasing rates of childhood obesity. Moreover, studies have shown that overweight children have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes either during adolescence and later on in life. The point to note here is that although more children are having high blood pressure, it remains mostly underdiagnosed.

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Accurate blood pressure measurement in children calls for the use of a cuff that is right for the size of the child’s arm. Essentially, it should be able to cover at least two thirds of the upper arm and the bladder should surround 80% to 100% of the circumference of the arm. Digital blood pressure monitors are very convenient and if correctly used and maintained, will be invaluable for fast screening of older children at home or whenever they visit the physician. However, they should not be solely relied upon to detect hypotension. If there are any abnormally high readings obtained, it should be checked again using a sphygmomanometer or stethoscope.

There is mounting evidence pointing towards systolic blood pressure as the best indicator of high blood pressure in children. For best advise, consult your physician on the appropriate readings for your child based on age, height and gender.

Diagnosing high blood pressure in children is much harder than the simple blood pressure check adopted for adults, because abnormal blood pressures in children vary with their age, height and gender. Thus, regular blood pressure monitoring and early diagnosis of high blood pressure in children is a necessary strategy for the prevention of future chronic diseases in adulthood.


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