Normal blood pressure values in children depend on the size and age of the child. There are blood pressure averages for infants through adolescents, but the numbers can vary widely and still be in a good range. However, in all cases, good blood pressure levels can lead to a healthier life, while too low or too high blood pressure in children can have life-altering effects.
Active children are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
The Facts
What exactly is blood pressure? When blood travels through the body in the arteries, the contraction of the heart causes a force against those artery walls. With every beat of the heart, the pressure in the arteries goes up, and then goes down between the beats.
Identification
High blood pressure for children is defined as having a pressure that is higher than 90 to 95 percent of children of the same age, sex and height, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. With children, several things can lead to sharp swings in blood pressure. Pain from an injury can cause a spike upward. Drug and alcohol use can cause blood pressure levels in adolescents to go up, as will smoking. There are some children--and adults--whose goes up when around medical professionals, which is referred to as "white-coat hypertension," according to the Mayo Clinic. Longer-term high blood pressure in children is often tied to excess weight, according to Kidshealth.org. Other health disorders such as kidney problems can contribute to high blood pressure.
Considerations
But what is high? When blood pressure is measured, the results are delivered in two figures. The first, the higher number, is the systolic rate. The systolic rate is the pressure in the arteries when the left ventricle in the heart contracts and sends blood rushing through the system. The diastolic is the lower number, and it measures the least amount of pressure when the left ventricle is relaxing. The figures are displayed as one over the other such as 120/80. Blood pressure is measured using a sphygmomanometer with a cuff placed on the bicep and a stethoscope. For children, blood pressure varies widely depending on age. A normal range for an infant up to 2 years old would be a reading of 80 systolic and roughly two-thirds of that number for the diastolic. For children between 3 and 5 years of age, the average pressure would be 99/65. For children between 6 and 10, the average blood pressure would be 105/69 and from 11 to 14, the average would be 114/76.
Effects
High blood pressure puts an extra strain on the circulatory system. High blood pressure can cause damage to the walls of the arteries, according to the American Heart Association. Likewise, left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to damage to vital organs such as the heart and kidneys. If it goes untreated, high blood pressure can eventually lead to damage to the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes.
Considerations
The good news is high blood pressure levels in most children, which are rare to start, can be controlled through diet and exercise. Doctors may suggest weight loss, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and decreased salt intake, according to Kidshealth.org. Staying fit, according to Kidshealth.org, is "the key to both weight and blood pressure control."
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