A child may have high cholesterol for a variety of reasons such as obesity, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, or an underactive thyroid. If an initial test shows high cholesterol, the AAP recommends a pediatrician check the child’s blood again at least 2 weeks later to confirm the results. If cholesterol is still high, the doctor will also determine if the child has an underlying condition.
The AAP reports a recent government study that indicated that there is good evidence that children with cholesterol problems become adults with high cholesterol. So, it is important to monitor the cholesterol of children who may have an increased risk of elevated cholesterol.