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Even very young children can have high blood pressure. Medical problems such as heart or kidney disease are often the cause of high blood pressure in children younger than 10 years, explains MayoClinic.com. Blood pressure normally rises somewhat throughout childhood, but if your child has one or more risk factors for high blood pressure, his pediatrician may recommend more frequent blood pressure checks.

High blood pressure sets the stage for all sorts of potential health complications. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), high blood pressure doesn’t discriminate based on gender; half of Americans with this condition are adult females. Normal blood pressure levels for women mean reduced risk for dire medical problems, such as heart attack and stroke.

When you take your child to the doctor for a yearly checkup, the nurse or doctor will usually take his blood pressure. While blood pressure is usually measured the same way for both children and adults, children should have much lower levels than the average adult. A child’s blood pressure is considered to be normal based on how it compares to similar children his age, sex and height.

Cholesterol affects your body differently than it does a man’s body. This could be, in part, to your estrogen levels. High estrogen, like the levels you produce during your most fertile years, raises good cholesterol and reduces heart disease risk, according to the American Heart Association. On the flip side, women have higher triglyceride levels than men, as a general rule. A heart-healthy lifestyle and medication can help you get your total cholesterol to a safe level and keep it there.