Pediatricians do not typically check blood pressure for children under age 3 during regular well-child visits. However, some children have medical conditions that make them more likely to have high blood pressure. These conditions include:

• History of prematurity (born at less than 32 weeks)
• Very low birth weight
• Being placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
• Congenital heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Certain urological conditions
• Neurofibromatosis
• Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD)
• Certain genetic conditions such as Alagille, Turner and Williams syndromes
• History of solid organ transplant
• History of bone marrow transplant

Parents and caregivers are important members of your child's healthcare team. You can help make sure your child gets the right care.

Here are some tips for getting an accurate blood pressure reading on children younger than 3 years old: 

• Give the medical team tips on what helps your child best
• Disturb your child as little as possible; they can stay in your lap
• Distract! Parents can help by using toys, phone/videos, singing songs or snacks/feeding
• Take BP as the first measurement, before weight, height/length and head circumference
• Use the right arm for measurement with no clothing underneath the cuff (cuff should be directly on your child’s skin)

If your child has a condition that puts them at high risk of having high blood pressure, remind your pediatrician to check their blood pressure at their next visit. Finding problems early can help your child get the care they need to support their health as they grow.

Hypertension Clinic at CHOP

Has your child been diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension)? Contact the Hypertension Clinic at CHOP for an appointment.

For more resources on high blood pressure in children, please visit the Magical Mila Foundation.