Hypertension in Children: Vital parenting information from Eyewitness News

Bad diets, excess weight and not enough exercise. A problem for the nation. But for kids it's a recipe for an unhealthy lifestyle. Around 5-percent of kids are reported to have hypertension.

Dr. Joe Matusic
We check for it because when you find hypertension in kids something else is wrong. You really have to look for its source.

That source, can vary. Preemies can have high blood pressure. But in younger kids, doctors will most likely find other illnessess behind the high blood pressure.

Dr. Joe Matusic
Typically we're looking for kidney problems the majority are a kidney function problem. There are chemicals the kidney produces that regulate your blood-pressure, if the kidney has a problem it could over/under produce that chemical and your b/p could go high.

Blood pressure reading vary for kids according to age, but the upper normal range for a school age child is 110/70. And the typical upper normal reading for an adolescent is 125/80.

There are some heart defects that can cause high b/p, but they're not that common. Genetics could also be behind some problems.

Left untreated, even mild to moderate cases of hypertension can cause damage to the heart, kidneys and blood vessels. And children on stimulant medications are routinely screened to keep their blood pressure in check.

Traditionally, your doctor will start checking your child's blood pressure at three years of age.