Blood pressure measurement is an important and extremely necessary procedure not only for adults but also for children. It is carried out by a doctor for violations of the cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory system and other indications. Children are also advised to measure blood pressure for prophylactic purposes.
Instructions
Step 1
Use special baby cuffs to measure blood pressure in children. In this case, the result will depend on the correctly selected cuff, more precisely, its width. So, for a newborn, the required width of the inner chamber of the cuff should be 3 cm, for an infant - 5 cm, for children after a year - 8 cm, for adolescents and large babies - 10 cm. The use of cuffs for adults leads to incorrect data.
Step 2
Currently, there are electronic tonometers to determine pressure. They are divided into automatic and semi-automatic measuring instruments. The first of them are capable of pumping air into the cuff using a built-in pump, and the second - using a pear (a special blower). Mechanical tonometers are often used at home. True, working with them requires a certain skill and preparation. The person taking the measurement must have good hearing to be able to accurately pick up the sounds of heart sounds.
Step 3
It is better to measure blood pressure in a child in the morning, immediately after waking up, or no later than 15 minutes after rest. Make sure that your child's hand is relaxed and palm up at heart level. On the bare shoulder, place and secure the cuff 2 cm above the elbow so that one finger can pass between it and the skin. Find the brachial artery in the flexion area and, without pressure, attach the phonendoscope to it to determine the pulse.
Step 4
Use a balloon to pump air into the cuff. At the same time, record the moment of disappearance of the sounds of pulse beats. After that, slowly begin to reduce the pressure, gradually opening the cylinder valve.
Step 5
Next, you need to remember two numbers on the manometer, which represent the values of systolic pressure. Upper pressure is manifested by loud beats of the pulse. With a further drop in pressure, the tones in the cuff gradually weaken and soon disappear altogether. The moment when the pulsation stops corresponds to the reading of the lower pressure.
Step 6
Ideally, blood pressure should be measured on both arms, three times with an interval of 3 minutes. The end result is minimal performance. It is recommended to measure blood pressure in children under 2 years of age while lying down.
