Although not as common in children as in adults, high blood pressure, or hypertension, can exist at any age. When left untreated, a child's high blood pressure can continue to rise and may become life-threatening. When a related condition is corrected, blood pressure levels return to normal. Target blood-pressure levels will change as a child grows older. Blood pressure levels in taller or heavier children may be higher than average but still considered normal.
Some authorities recommend that annual testing resume at adolescence.
The procedure for measuring blood pressure in children is very similar to measuring blood pressure in adults, although the results are adjusted for the child's size. The patient is asked to sit with arm exposed and extended at the level of the heart. The physician fits the collar on the upper arm and pressurizes it so that it fits snugly. The physician then uses the stethoscope to listen for changes in heartbeat sounds as the collar is gradually depressurized. The level of the gauge is noted during these changes to measure the patient's blood pressure.