Burlington, NC -- Doctors are keeping a closer eye on children's blood pressure these days.
The number of children 18 and under who went to the hospital for high blood pressure doubled between 1997 and 2006.
That's according to the online journal Hypertension.
A little more than 12,600 hospital stays were reported in 1997, while more than 24,600 were reported in 2006.
According to Doctor Rosemary Stein with IFC Pediatrics in Burlington, the problem starts at home.
"Learning to say no. That's the most challenging because we want to be good to our kids and we want to reinforce their self esteem, but part of self esteem is learning limits."
For anyone battling high blood pressure, doctors advise you to watch your waistline by exercising regularly, making smart decisions with what you eat.
WFMY News 2