My youngest daughter who is 10 years old has borderline high cholesterol at a total cholesterol reading of 5.3 mmol / L. She has inherited my bad DNA of Familial hypercholesterolemia. The disorder allows cholesterol to build up regardless of your weight, diet, and exercise.

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition.  If one parent with FH passes the gene to his or her child, the child will also inherit the disorder.

People with this condition have high cholesterol starting at birth. Untreated, it can cause heart attacks at an early age.

The treatment for the condition — a low-fat diet, exercise, and cholesterol-lowering medications — is the same as the treatment for anyone with high cholesterol. But even with treatment, cholesterol may still remain high if your genes are in the driver’s seat.

For my daughter, our pediatrician is of the opinion that she does not require medication yet. He recommended another blood test to be done when she hits teenage-hood.

Even with a sustenance just on plain water, fruits, vegetables and very little meat, my total cholesterol reading is still hovering at 5.8 – 6 mmol / L. Everyone from my side of the family has high cholesterol. If not for a routine blood test that my daughter did last month, together with the yearly ultrasound scan of her urinary tract, I would not have found out that she has borderline high cholesterol.

What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all the cells in the body. The liver makes cholesterol, and it is also in some foods, such as meat and dairy products. The body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if your child or teen has high cholesterol (too much cholesterol in the blood), he or she has a higher risk of coronary artery disease and other heart diseases.

Treating Familial hypercholesterolemia in Children
While you may be reluctant to start your child on medication, prescription medication is recommended for the treatment of hereditary high cholesterol to reduce LDL cholesterol, even in children. Unlike high cholesterol that is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle, FH is a genetic disorder that usually can’t be resolved through lifestyle changes alone.  Each family needs to consider the information available and make their own decision about when and how to treat FH, in consultation with their healthcare provider.

People with FH are exposed to very high levels of LDL cholesterol from birth, and by the time they reach the age of 12 many will already have measurable atherosclerosis. Cholesterol-lowering medications can dramatically reduce the risks of hereditary high cholesterol. Observational studies from Europe have found that long-term cholesterol-lowering therapy with statins decreases the excess lifetime heart disease risk associated with FH.

Getting Your Child To Eat a Healthy Diet
It can be a challenge to get children to eat healthy foods, especially if they are teenagers. What we parents can do is to only stock up on healthy foods in our kitchen and to cook foods that are low in cholesterol and fats.

I have to keep reminding my daughter that she now has to eat like her mummy, which is a diet that is low in animal fats, low in cholesterol, reduced food portions and include more fruits, nuts and vegetables in her diet.

Model healthy behavior by eating a balanced diet low in saturated and trans fats. Keep your home stocked with nutritious choices, avoiding pre-packaged snacks and carefully reading food labels to watch out for hidden trans fats and hydrogenated oils.

Making Exercise a Habit
Today’s children are surrounded by screens and technology, including smart phones, computers, televisions and video game systems. Getting them to be physically active is more difficult than ever, but regular exercise is important for heart health, especially for children with inherited high cholesterol. Make a family commitment to get up and move for 30-60 minutes most days of the week, whether it’s by taking daily walks together, playing family soccer in the backyard, or turning up the music and having a dance-off in the living room.

Eliminating Exposure to Tobacco Smoke
If you are a smoker, quit. Smoking is a major contributor to cardiovascular conditions and strokes, and children with FH already face a 20 times greater risk of developing it. Children model their parent’s behaviors, and one of the best ways to ensure that your children remain life-long non-smokers is to be a non-smoker yourself. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, exposure to secondhand smoke also damages blood vessels and can trigger a heart attack or stroke, increasing the risk in children who are already vulnerable to cardiac incidences due to their inherited high cholesterol.