High Blood Pressure and Children:

What Parents Need to Know
Children can have high blood pressure. 

Did you know that children could have high blood 

pressure? In fact, the number of children with high 

blood pressure is growing. The sooner high blood 

pressure is found in children, the sooner it can 

be treated. 

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. 
High blood pressure in children 

needs to be treated. 

Untreated high blood pressure can cause kidney 

disease, heart disease, eye disease, and other serious 

health problems over time. The longer the high blood 

pressure goes uncontrolled, the more harm it can 

cause. Treatment begins with lifestyle changes, such 

as diet changes, more physical activity, and weight 

loss. Some children also may need to take blood 

pressure medicines.
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: 

n Give your child healthy home cooked food

n Use less canned or pre-prepared food 

n Encourage physical activity 

n I f your child smokes or chews tobacco, talk 

with his or her doctor about how to help 

your child quit. 

n Make sure that your child takes his or her 

blood pressure medicine if prescribed. 

n You and your family can keep a healthy 

weight. Visit the Weight-control Information 

Network (www.win.niddk.nih.gov), We 

Can!® (wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov), and Let’s Move 

(www.letsmove.gov) for tips for parents.

What does it mean to eat a healthy diet? 

Eating for healthy blood pressure means eating:

n less salt and packaged foods that are high 

in sodium, and

n more fruits and vegetables. 
Questions to ask the doctor about your 

child’s blood pressure 

n What is my child’s blood pressure? 

n Is it in the normal range? 

n Is my child at risk for high blood pressure? 

All children should have their blood pressure checked 

during their routine physical exams. Those with a 

family history of high blood pressure and being 

overweight need to have it checked more often.
For more information:

About healthy lifestyles and children

• Weight-control Information Network (WIN)

Toll free at 1-877-946-4627

www.win.niddk.nih.gov

• We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s

Activity & Nutrition)® 

1-301-592-8573

wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov

• Let’s Move

www.letsmove.gov

About high blood pressure

• The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

1-301-592-8573

www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in 

their own health care, gain access to new research treatments 

before they are widely available, and help others by 

contributing to medical research. For more information, visit 

www.clinicaltrials.gov. 

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services

National Institutes of Health

The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) encourages people to get 

tested for kidney disease and educates those with kidney disease and their health care 

providers about treatments that can help delay or prevent kidney failure. NKDEP is 

a program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

NIH Publication No. 12-7817 • November 2011 • Order more brochures at www.nkdep.nih.gov