A:
With the family history of high cholesterol, it is good your daughter was screened for it. High cholesterol can be part of her genes, related to what she eats, and more of a problem if she is very overweight (obese).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends cholesterol screening for children and adolescents with:
- a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease
- an unknown family history of it
- other factors for heart disease (including obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes)
High cholesterol can be in both children and adults. Some experts feel that all children should be checked for high cholesterol. This approach would find children who have problems handling the fat in their bodies. Knowing this can help parents do things early in life to keep their children healthy later in life.
There is a chance that your daughter's high cholesterol puts her at risk of having high cholesterol as an adult. This could mean heart problems when she is older.
The first steps in lowering your daughter's cholesterol are to:
- increase her regular physical activity
- be sure she eats well, with less fat in her diet
For children who older than eight who have too much LDL ("bad" cholesterol), medicines can be used to keep her cholesterol down. You may have concerns about putting her on drugs when she is so young. Speak with her doctor for suggestions about diet and whether or not a medicine would be right for her.
Henry H. Bernstein, D.O., is a senior lecturer in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. In addition, he is chief of General Academic Pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth and professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School. He is the former associate chief of General Pediatrics and director of Primary Care at Children's Hospital Boston. 
