High blood pressure (hypertension) in kids can lead to serious medical problems. Eating healthier, losing weight (if needed), and being physically active all can help lower blood pressure. If needed, medicine can help too. Follow these instructions to care for your child and help them lower their blood pressure.

• Make healthy diet choices as a family. Encourage all family members to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats like chicken and fish, and low-fat dairy products. 
• Your child should also:
  • Limit salt by not adding salt when cooking, using no-salt or low-salt products, and avoiding junk food and fast food.
  • Avoid caffeine (found in sodas, tea, coffee, and energy drinks).
  • Avoid alcohol because it can raise blood pressure.
• Help your child get 30–60 minutes of physical activity at least 3–5 times a week:
  • All physical activity is good. If possible, though, try to include vigorous exercise that gets the heart rate up, such as running or dancing. 
  • Organized sports can be a great way to be active and have fun. Encourage your child to try a sport such as soccer, cheerleading, or karate at school or in the community.
  • Be active together as a family by walking, swimming, or biking.
• Limit screen time and encourage activities that get your child moving instead.
• Your child should not smoke, and your home and car should be smoke-free. Smoking can lead to serious medical problems such as cancer, heart attack, and stroke. If you or your child need help quitting, talk to your health care provider or go to smokefree.gov.
• Give your child any prescribed medicines as directed.
• Take your child for any lab work or testing that your health care provider ordered.
• Go to all follow-up care visits so your health care provider can check your child's blood pressure and adjust any prescribed medicine, if needed.

Your child:

• develops headaches
• feels dizzy
• has unexplained tiredness
• gets a nosebleed

You know your child best. If they have symptoms that worry you, call your health care provider right away.

Your child:

• has a severe headache
• is confused
• has trouble speaking clearly
• develops weakness or numbness
• has a sudden change in vision
• has trouble breathing
• has chest pain or heart palpitations (the feeling that the heart is beating fast or differently)
• faints
• has a seizure

What can happen if high blood pressure isn't treated? Over time, untreated high blood pressure can lead to:

• heart disease (also called cardiovascular disease), which is a buildup of plaque in the arteries that can lead to heart attack and stroke
• damage in different parts of the body, especially the kidneys, eyes, and brain

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure? Usually, high blood pressure doesn't cause symptoms. But very high blood pressure can cause headaches, blurry vision, dizziness, nosebleeds, a fluttering or racing heartbeat, nausea, and other medical problems.

What causes high blood pressure? Things that make someone more likely to have high blood pressure include having other family members with high blood pressure, being overweight, certain medical conditions (such as kidney, heart, or hormone problems), an unhealthy diet, not getting enough exercise, and drinking too much alcohol. Often, the cause of a child's high blood pressure isn't known.