Kid cholesterol timebomb

Does your child have high cholesterol?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has published new guidelines recommending that children as young as 2 and no older than 10 start having their cholesterol levels checked if they have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol. The AAP also says that statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs that are among the most widely prescribed medications in the US among adults, should be considered for children found to be at risk of heart problems in later life.

According to the AAP, the best method for checking cholesterol is a fasting blood test which would need repeating every three to five years in children with a normal cholesterol reading. Parents of younger children with high cholesterol should look at a healthful diet and exercise as a means of helping their child lose weight – but pediatricians should consider prescribing statins for children 8 and older who have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and haven’t been able to lose weight after one year of trying.

Additionally, children 1 year old and older who are considered overweight or obese should be given low-fat milk and dairy products (typically, parents aren’t advised to switch their child to low-fat milk until they reach 2).

Critics have questioned the suggestion that children should be given statins, as there is little knowledge about their possible effects on childhood physiology and the side-effects that could result from taking them on a long term basis. They also point to the fact that often high cholesterol is easily controllable with simple lifestyle changes – but that parents may be less inclined to make these changes if their children are receiving medication for high cholesterol. However, the AAP position is that side-effects are rare and that the long-term benefits of treating children make it worth the risk.

The recommendations were published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Was this article helpful?