For previous releases, please visit our archives . One more thing to add to that list is getting their children checked for hypertension. Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the heart is working to pump blood through the body.
Hypertension is blood pressure that is greater than normal.
Children of all ages can develop hypertension and show no signs of the illness. Hypertension in children is often the result of obesity, a family history of the illness or sometimes stress. Children as young as three should have their blood pressure checked annually. Certain high school athletes, like football players, especially should get checked. Every year thousands of children across the country attend preschool or kindergarten for the first time.