Normal Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents by Age

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Blood pressure rises throughout childhood. A systolic reading of 85 mmHg at age one is entirely normal in a boy; the same figure at seventeen would prompt investigation. Age-specific reference tables are the only reliable guide.

Many parents arrive in clinic having already searched their child's reading online and compared it against adult thresholds. That comparison rarely helps. The adult cut-off of 120/80 mmHg applies to adults only, and using it for children creates confusion in both directions: flagging readings that are perfectly appropriate for a ten-year-old, and occasionally failing to raise concern when concern is warranted. Getting the reference wrong matters. Normal blood pressure in children shifts with age, sex, and height. A table calibrated for adults will not serve a child well.

In my practice blood pressure monitoring features in almost every consultation I conduct. Children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Marfan syndrome, or a family history of early cardiovascular disease need systematic surveillance. Adolescents on stimulant medication for ADHD, or those presenting with PoTS, require careful attention to blood pressure trends. Accurate interpretation depends on the right age-appropriate reference, and that reference needs to be accessible to parents as well as clinicians. The table below provides exactly that.

Every reading deserves an appropriate comparison.

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Please click over the Boy or Girl button to see the respective data presented in the table.

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