What is the minimum systolic blood pressure for school-age children (6 to 12 years)?

• A. Greater than 80 systolic
• B. Greater than 75 systolic
• C. Greater than 85 systolic
• D. Greater than 90 systolic

Answer: (A)

In school-age children, blood pressure norms rise with age, and hypotension is defined using age-based thresholds. A commonly used rule for kids 1–10 is that hypotension is SBP < 70 + 2 × age in years; for a 6-year-old that’s about 82 mmHg, and for a 12-year-old it’s about 94 mmHg. Across the 6–12 age range, this means the lower limit is around the low 80s. Practically, the minimum SBP you’d want to see as normal for this group is just over 80 mmHg, so “greater than 80 systolic” is the best choice. The other options either fall below that practical lower bound or aren’t the minimal acceptable threshold.