Can hypertension occur in children?

Yes: Used to be mainky in children with specific disorders - now with fat kids high on fast foods - all bets r off!

Yes: Yes, particularly in obese children.

Yes: Although not common, it does happen. Any child with hypertension needs a full medical evaluation to determine the causes.

Yes: Elevated blood pressure in children is more commonly due to an underlying medical condition than in adults. But with the rise in childhood obesity this may be changing, similar to the rise in childhood type II diabetes mellitus.

Yes: Hypertension is more rare in children, but it does happen. There are many causes of hypertension that need to be ruled out when it is diagnosed in children. Rising rates of childhood obesity has made childhood hypertension more common as well.

Yes: While there are some specific diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease that can lead to hypertension in children, obesity is far and away the most common cause. It used to be relatively rare to see hypertension in children, but it is now found in a significant percentage of teenagers and requires close medical follow-up.

Yes: Hypertension can occur at any age. Unfortunately, it is becoming more common in children due to poor diets and decreased physical activity.

Yes: Unfortunately, yes - hypertension can occur in children. The american heart association recommends screening children as young as 4 for blood pressure on annual screening evaluations. The best options for helping prevent hypertension in children is a healthy diet, appropriate exercise, and monitoring to maintain a healthy weight.