How to Check a Child's Blood Pressure

A child's blood pressure can be an accurate barometer by which to measure the child's general health. Like adults, young children can experience unusually high or low blood pressure. While your pediatrician will measure your child's blood pressure during his regular checkup visit, learning to check her blood pressure at home can help you monitor the general fitness of your child at all times.

Things You'll Need

• Blood pressure cuff (manual cuff or automatic)
• Stethoscope
• Notebook
• Pencil or pen

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Instructions

• 1

  Explain the process to the child. Some children may be fearful of medical instruments or need guidance. Tell the child that you will be measuring his blood pressure and that it will help him stay healthy. Instruct the child that he must stay still during the measurement.

• 2

  Sit the child down in a chair. She should rest her arm on a table or armrest so that the arm is at the same level as her heart. Her arm should be situated so that her hand's palm is facing upward. Keep her in a resting state for five minutes. You may wish to read the child a book or sing her a song.

• 3

  Push down on the cuff to squeeze out any air that is currently in it. Wrap the cuff around the child's arm so that the bottom of the cuff is approximately an inch above where his arm bends. Make sure the artery line on the front of the blood pressure cuff is on the inside of his elbow.

• 4

  Slide two fingers under the cuff to make sure it is not too tight. If two fingers cannot fit between the cuff and the child's arm, loosen the cuff.

• 5

  Turn on the blood pressure cuff if using an automatic machine. If manually checking a child's blood pressure, skip to Step 6. The device will quickly inflate the cuff and give you an automated reading of the child's blood pressure. The top number will be her systolic pressure, and the bottom reading will be her diastolic pressure. Write down her blood pressure on your notebook.

• 6

  Put your stethoscope on the child's elbow if manually measuring a child's blood pressure. Squeeze the rubble ball to pump air into the blood pressure cuff until the cuff is inflated firmly.

• 7

  Listen through the stethoscope and watch the measurement gauge on the front of the cuff. When you hear tapping, write down the number on the gauge. This is the child's systolic blood pressure. When the tapping stops, write down the number on the gauge. This is the child's diastolic pressure.