If lifestyle changes don't help, your child's doctor might recommend blood pressure medication. If your child is diagnosed with slightly or moderately high blood pressure (stage 1 hypertension), your child's doctor will likely suggest trying lifestyle changes, such as a heart-healthy diet and more exercise, before prescribing medications. This involves your child temporarily wearing a device that measures blood pressure throughout the day, including during sleep and various activities.Īmbulatory monitoring can help rule out blood pressure that's temporarily raised because your child is nervous at the doctor's office (white-coat hypertension).

To confirm a diagnosis of high blood pressure, your child's doctor might recommend ambulatory monitoring. Ultrasound of your child's kidneys (renal ultrasound).Echocardiogram to create pictures of the heart and blood flow through the heart.Blood tests to check your child's kidney function, electrolytes, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels (lipids).These tests might be used to look for another condition that could be causing your child's high blood pressure: If your child is diagnosed with high blood pressure, it's important to determine whether it's primary or secondary. For a diagnosis of high blood pressure, your child's blood pressure must be higher than normal when measured during at least three visits to the doctor.

Blood pressure chart for kids