How is blood pressure measured?
Although measuring blood pressure will not hurt your child, it can be challenging, especially in younger children. Your child’s doctor or nurse will take a few measurements when your child is relaxed.
Preparing for blood pressure measurement
You do not need any special preparation before your child has their blood pressure measured. It will help if they wear a top with short sleeves or those that can be easily rolled up.
Explain to your child what will happen during the blood pressure check. You could say that it won’t hurt them but that their arm will be squeezed for a few moments.
Help them to feel relaxed before and during the check.
What happens?
- Your child will be asked to sit for a few minutes before the measurement is taken.
- A fabric cuff is wrapped around your child’s upper arm and pumped up. This holds back the blood flow to that area.
- The pressure on the cuff is slowly released.
- For electronic instruments, the readings appear on a screen.
- For manual instruments, a stethoscope is used to listen to the heartbeat and the readings are taken from the pressure gauge.
Finding out results
You will be told your child’s blood pressure straight away.
Measuring blood pressure at home
Blood pressure can vary throughout the day and is affected by how we are feeling. Some children feel stressed when they visit the doctor, which can cause their blood pressure to increase. This is sometimes called white coat hypertension.
Your doctor or nurse may ask you to measure your child’s blood pressure at home. They will explain what to do and how you can report the blood pressure readings.
A community nurse may visit you at home to measure your child’s blood pressure or you may be asked to use an electronic monitor to measure your child’s blood pressure yourself, at regular intervals during the day.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
You may be given a special electronic monitor that automatically measures blood pressure over a period of time, usually over a 24-hour period. This is called ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) (ambulatory means moving about).
This monitor will automatically measure your child’s blood pressure every half hour during the day and night while they are sleeping. When they are awake, your child will need to keep their arm still during each measurement.
ABPM is normally used for children five years or older.
Measuring blood pressure in hospital
For some babies and young children, especially those younger than 2, it can be very difficult to take blood pressure measurements. They may become distressed in the clinic, and you may not be able to take the electronic measurements at home. These children may need to go into hospital to have their blood pressure measured accurately.