Mercy Pediatrician Dr. Ashanti Woods Discusses Hypertension in Children
February 17, 2020
One in five children has high blood pressure, so pediatricians are starting to screen for high blood pressure at age three (3).
According to board certified pediatrician Dr. Ashanti Woods of Mercy Medical Center, parents may not realize a child's blood pressure should be lower than an adult's.
"Children's blood pressure, (the) high is actually going to be lower than the 120/80 that we suspect for adults. In other words, a child's blood pressure could be 110/70. Sounds good, but if the child is, say, a 4-year-old, that's actually high blood pressure," Dr. Woods said.
High blood pressure in children younger than 6 is usually due to a chronic health condition. For children older than 6, it's often because of lifestyle choices, like an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.
Dr. Woods advises parents to read food labels carefully and avoid high-sodium and processed foods.
View Mercy pediatrician Dr. Ashanti Woods’ interview regarding high blood pressure in children, click here.
About Mercy
Founded in 1874 in Downtown Baltimore by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a 183-licensed bed, acute care, university-affiliated teaching hospital. Mercy has been recognized as a high-performing Maryland hospital (U.S. News & World Report); has achieved an overall 5-Star quality, safety, and patient experience rating (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services); is A-rated for Hospital Safety (Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade); and is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet™ hospital. Mercy Health Services is a not-for-profit health system and the parent company of Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Personal Physicians.
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