Bradley Ewing shares his family’s journey: “Doctors and nurses just assume you know what blood pressure numbers mean. They’d send us home with a monitor and explain what to do, but we still didn’t really know what we were looking for. Is this high? Is this low? We were flying blind.”

Now, Nate is on blood pressure medication and doing better. “The biggest challenge was just figuring out what was wrong,” says Chris Ewing, relieved that nothing serious happened to Nate during those intervening months. “It took so long to get a diagnosis. I wish someone had educated us more about hypertension and how it presents in children.”

Alarming Statistics

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), as many as 5% of U.S. children and teens under age 18 may have hypertension, up to 3.6 million kids with a condition once primarily found in older adults. An additional 10%, or 7.3 million, may have elevated blood pressure, putting them at risk of developing hypertension later. These statistics have quadrupled over the past few decades, largely due to factors like childhood obesity rates, poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and genetic predispositions.

In March 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) published a scientific statement emphasizing pediatric hypertension as an “unrecognized condition” and urging medical personnel and parents to become more aware of its prevalence and accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Blood Vessels Aging Too Soon

Dr. Bonita Falkner, who led the team that authored the AHA statement, expresses concern: “Many of these children have a medical profile similar to their grandparents. They’re already showing signs of vascular aging, meaning their blood vessels are stiffer, and their heart muscles are enlarged.”

Fortunately, hypertension can be managed and even reversed with lifestyle changes and medication if necessary. However, early and accurate detection is crucial, yet often lacking. The AAP reports that pediatric hypertension is missed in up to 75% of cases in primary care settings.

A Routine Check That’s Often Skipped

Before the mid-1970s, doctors typically didn’t measure blood pressure in children without symptoms. Since 2017, the AAP has recommended it as a routine part of annual wellness checks from age 3, but this isn’t always followed.

Margaret Solomon, MD, a pediatrician, highlights the challenges of getting accurate readings from youngsters and interpreting those readings, especially considering the dynamic nature of children’s growth.

Using Tech to Simplify Diagnosis

To streamline the process, Dr. Solomon helped develop a “best practice alert” system at her health center. It automates the process of measuring and analyzing blood pressure readings, ensuring timely and accurate diagnosis and follow-up care.

What Parents Can Do

Until such systems become more widespread, Dr. Solomon and Dr. Falkner advise parents to advocate for their child’s well-being by ensuring blood pressure checks are performed and seeking clarification on readings. Simple lifestyle changes, like being more active and making healthier food choices, can make a significant impact on a child’s health and future well-being.