“What blood pressure is high for children?”
My child is 12 years old and during her checkups, her doctor checks her blood pressure. So far, it's been normal. But what is the level of blood pressure that is too high for a child?
3 Answers
it depends on your child's height. I am glad the previous BP's were normal.
Normal blood pressure ranges in kids is dependent on the gender, height and age. There is no set number compared to the adults.
New blood pressure guidelines for children were published by the American Academy of Pediatrics last year and are based on age, gender, and height. At age 13y and older, the pediatric normal values are the same as adults, and any measurement >120/80 is considered elevated. Repeated measurements if diet and exercise do not bring it down. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (wearing a cuff for 24 hours that takes measurements every 15 minutes) may give a more precise diagnosis, especially if “white coat”hypertension is suspected.
Your daughter may have normal values slightly lower than the ones I mentioned depending on her height, but it will be pretty close. Maintaining a healthy weight and active lifestyle are the best ways to fend off hypertension.
Your daughter may have normal values slightly lower than the ones I mentioned depending on her height, but it will be pretty close. Maintaining a healthy weight and active lifestyle are the best ways to fend off hypertension.
