Overview

High blood pressure (hypertension) in children is blood pressure that is at or above the 95th percentile for children who are the same sex, age and height as your child. There isn't a simple target range for high blood pressure in all children because what's considered normal changes as children grow. However, in teenagers, high blood pressure is defined the same as for adults: A blood pressure reading greater than or equal to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

The younger a child is, the more likely it is that the high blood pressure is caused by a specific and identifiable medical condition. Older children can develop high blood pressure for the same reasons adults do — excess weight, poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

Lifestyle changes, such as eating a heart-healthy diet low in salt (sodium) and exercising more, can help reduce high blood pressure in children. But for some children, medications may be necessary.