High Cholesterol in Children

[mom2brooke76]

My dd, 7, is checked every 3 years or so for high cholesterol. They do this because her paternal grandfather died of a heart attack at the age of 39 due to high cholesterol and when this happened her dad (who was 13 at the time) was checked and discovered that his was high too. Because of this family history she gets checked.

She was in on Tuesday for her yearly exam and it was time for her cholesterol check. It has been completely normal up until this point. Well, they called today to let me know that it was high and they want her to fast and come back in on Monday morning to be retested.

Has anyone here ever dealt with this? She has so many issues anyway (learning disabilities, speech issues, ADHD, really bad eczema, allergies to most pets, cough variant asthma, etc), that this is the last thing that I want to hear I realize that there's a strong family history of this at a young age, but is it possible for them to test and it come back normal? If it does come back normal, will they likely test her yearly now because it was elevated?

Thanks for any help! I'm saddened by this news and hope that this blood test was a fluke.

 

[gomomgo]

Sorry this is another worry for you. We had a similar issue and family history with our DD. she was borderline high, not off the charts. But what was important for us was learning that her HDL number was high- which is a good thing. I'm sure this is super-basic, but total cholesterol = LDL + HDL. A high HDL number will drive up the total number. Of course this was just in our case, so I guess my advice to you is to get the fasting numbers and the breakdown. She is lucky that you are so on top of this. If there is reason to be concerned it sounds like you and the docs are prepared to be active in trying to get it down. Best of luck

 

[cornflake]

Had she been fasting for 12 hours before the previous one?

I *think* if she'd had cholesterol-laden foods decently recently, it could elevate it somewhat.

I'd think they'd also be more proactive about testing if it came back high, even if it turns out lower next time, yeah. At least you know it's an issue and they're being very proactive about it.

 

[mom2brooke76]

Had she been fasting for 12 hours before the previous one?

I *think* if she'd had cholesterol-laden foods decently recently, it could elevate it somewhat.

I'd think they'd also be more proactive about testing if it came back high, even if it turns out lower next time, yeah. At least you know it's an issue and they're being very proactive about it.

No, she hadn't fasted for this one. It was one of those things where she had it approximately once every 3 years and I had to ask the doctor if it was time again for it yet. She's been checked twice before and didn't fast either time (and they came back normal), so I didn't know what the procedure would be. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he fasting will cause it to be normal again. Guess I'll find out more next week!

 

[mom2brooke76]

Well, got my dd's cholesterol results and unfortunately it's high The nurse said that her LDL and triglycerides were high and that she'll need to go on a low fat diet and be tested every 6 months.

Does anyone here have a child with high cholesterol? I know it may sound silly, but what kinds of things did you give your kids to eat? She eats fruit and veggies already, but like most kids she's very picky about what she will eat and I know of lot of it (chicken nuggets, pizza, etc) can't be good for her. On the other hand she LOVES sashimi, but that's too expensive for her to eat on a regular basis. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[cornflake]

Well, got my dd's cholesterol results and unfortunately it's high The nurse said that her LDL and triglycerides were high and that she'll need to go on a low fat diet and be tested every 6 months.

Does anyone here have a child with high cholesterol? I know it may sound silly, but what kinds of things did you give your kids to eat? She eats fruit and veggies already, but like most kids she's very picky about what she will eat and I know of lot of it (chicken nuggets, pizza, etc) can't be good for her. On the other hand she LOVES sashimi, but that's too expensive for her to eat on a regular basis. Any advice would be appreciated!

At least you know and know early - much better to find out and do something than for her to find out a few decades from now, when it's much worse, had been causing buildup, and her habits were way more ingrained.

I know some fish is quite good with good fats, but shrimp is high in cholesterol.

In general, avoid meat and meat products (dairy included), that's what has cholesterol.

Eat more plants, eat more whole grains - actual whole grains, not fluffy white bread or crap sugared cereal that says whole grain because it's made of corn puree. Things that start with the words '100% whole wheat' or 'stone ground whole wheat' NOT 'whole grain flour' - that means white flour.

Switch from white to brown rice, from white breads to real whole grain breads, and cut out as much meat as possible.

It doesn't mean you have to kill all her favourite foods, but you may have to change them. Make your own whole wheat pizza with lowfat cheese and lots of veggies, if you don't have a restaurant by you that makes that.

Make other finger foods to substitute for nuggets (which are really disgusting anyway, heh).

Keep a lot of already cut up fresh veggies and fruits in tupperware in the fridge for easy access. Big container of cut up carrot and celery and pepper sticks in water (so they stay fresh), containers of already cut up pineapple, melon, washed and hulled berries.

People don't tend to eat the apple from the bowl on the counter. They do tend to grab a handful of pineapple pieces if they're cut up and sitting all chilled and ready in the fridge.

Try making some nice hearty soups (not from cans), to get a lot of veggies and stuff in. You can do big batches and freeze in small containers. They're filling, low cal, and she can just pop it into the microwave if she's hungry.

A lot of it is stuff that goes for anyone but especially for kids - make it EASY to eat better. If she's looking for something to eat and there's nothing and you say no you can't have nuggets or pizza rolls or whatever she'd have from the freezer previously (clean that stuff out, make it gone so it's not there tempting her or that other people can have it, it's not good for anyone), that's hard.

If she opens the fridge and is faced with lots of colourful cut up veggies, there's soup, there's whole wheat bread she can have with, say, some fresh-ground peanut butter and some low-sugar jam, that's not so hard.

If it's got to be nuggets, make your own with actual whole chicken breasts cut into pieces and whole wheat bread crumbs and egg whites.

But I'd move to plants as much as possible - cholesterol is in animals and animal products.

Remember - this is not a diet or thing to change her test results. If this is a family problem and she's got it at 7? It's got to be lifelong habits for her that you are starting right now. Think of it that way. It's how you want her to eat for the rest of her life so she doesn't have the problems her grandfather and father did - and so HER kids learn to eat this way from the get go. Make it just how your kitchen is and how you all think of food, so she will think of food this way so she doesn't ask this question in 30 years about her toddler, not 'let's do this to fix her numbers.'

 

[mom2brooke76]

Thanks cornflake! That was very helpful information

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

Good advice. Everyone needs to eat like this. Most people eat so much processed food, food coloriing, preservatives, fried food etc. Make the change, you will be happier.

 

[Leajess99]

A good thing to remember is that exercise is very important in helping with cholesterol as well. If she is not getting enough exercise it can and will impact her high cholesterol.

My daughter had her cholesterol tested earlier this week (our ped does it at yearly well child checks if their is a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol) and the ped gave us a whole handout about cholesterol and diet. You may want to see if your daughter's doctor has one or if they would be willing to refer her to a nutritionist for help.

 

[cornflake]

A couple other things I thought of that might be useful?

If she's picky, make her a partner in this. Sell it as 'we're going to eat better foods because bodies need good, real food to do well at work and school and I think it'll make us both have more energy and feel good and etc....'

Then explain what you're doing - in basic terms. Explain that sometimes stuff that might taste good is really not good for our bodies to have.

This video on youtube is a segment of a show Jamie Oliver (british chef) did on American tv about trying to get schools to serve healthier foods. In it, he shows a bunch of elementary school kids how chicken nuggets are made. It had... interesting results. It's something you might watch with her and then use to discuss.

Then take her to the market, have her help pick colourful peppers, teach her how to pick a ripe pineapple, melon, etc. Get her excited about veg. Have her help you cut them up or prep stuff. Have her help you decide what to have for dinner and prep stuff. Explain that it's different stuff and sometimes we have to get used to things but you're both going to try.

Brainstorm together stuff like breakfasts - oatmeal is great (steel cut oats are better for you and I think FAR tastier than rolled but rolled is fine); if you're pressed for time in the am, you can make larger pots of it (because stove cooked plain is the only way to go, those little packets of flavoured sugar are not fit for consumption), plain oatmeal cooked with skim milk for protein, some raisins (cook them in the oatmeal, they get all plump), some cinnamon and a bit of sweetner. Then portion out into small bowls or tupperware and stick in the fridge to microwve in the mornings.

Does she like french toast? Make french toast with whole wheat bread and egg whites, no yolks, or eggbeaters, with cinnamon, little vanilla. Etc., etc.

Same for lunch - whole grain bread with peanut butter and jam and some carrot and celery and fruit? What does she normally like? Have you tried hummus? Yummy with baby carrots to dip and whole wheat pita triangles. Vegetable soup and a wholegrain roll. ...

For dinner, same, involve her, she's much more likely to be willing to try stuff. You can do big stir frys over brown rice, mostly veg. You can make all different sauces and combos.

Whole wheat pizzas with lowfat cheese. Baked fish with roasted potatoes and veggies. Roast root veggies over quinoa or rice. Baked sweet potatoes. Beans and rice. Lentil soups, salads... Big dinner salads with tons of veggies. Etc., there are really tons of things she can have and will love - her tastes just aren't there yet, but they will be.

It does take longer than sticking frozen nuggets in the oven or grabbing fast food but if she's involved and if you can do a prep day or two of cutting up veg and fruit together, to have for snacks and for stir frys, etc., it'll begin to go faster as you get more experience. As someone else said, it's worth it. Good luck!

 

[4littleones]

My son has extremely low cholesterol and we try to feed him bacon and hot dogs and things like that. It is tough but for the exact opposite reasons. He has autism and from what I am told it is pretty typical for kids with autism to have low cholesterol like this. When he was originally tested he was already eating 2 slices of bacon, hot dogs and chicken nuggets every day. We were told to feed him 4 slices of bacon each morning, but he has been refusing it.

 

[disneyandme]

I recommend small, gradual changes first so that you don't overwhelm her, especially if she is picky. I had to do this and making small changes from one brand to another can make a world of difference. Switch milk to skim. Switch bread brands. Switch pasta sauce brands. Switch cereal choices. Switch deli meats- turkey and ham are relatively low fat for lunch. Watch condiments. Cut portions first before bannishing food items. Snyders pretzels minis have 0 fat, but the stick shapes have fat. Silly but true.
Keep track of what she is eating (do not involve her in this as it can cause eating issues) so you can see where the fat/cholestrol is coming from. Sometimes foods that can be eaten just shouldn't be eaten on the same day- such as PBandJ with steak, but OK to do PBandJ with chicken. Ask you doctor about eggs and peanuts/peanut butter. The school of thought right now is to not cut these things out as they contain good fats, just eat in moderation. Also, ask what exactly they mean by low fat. Get the numbers/limits and how many calories she should be consuming for her size. Don't obsess or she will obsess. An occassional treat or slip up is OK as long as you get back on track the next meal.

 

[oceanrose]

First, remember the changes are life changes, that she'll learn from. The entire family needs to be eating this way anyway .

I became Vegan this year after some health issues in the family and watching Forks Over Knives and some other documentaries on health. I use a lot of online blogs to source recipes that will keep kids and adults healthy. My 2 favorites are:

happyherbivore.com - these are fat free vegan recipes. There's a mac n cheese on there that's awesome, along with a lot of other easy fast recipes.

peasandthankyou.com has great kid friendly recipes, since she has 2 little girls. She does use some vegetable based fats but they're still mostly healthy, and she has great ideas.

Even if you don't go Vegan all the way, both of these sites give you a place to start. Your attitude will have a lot to do with it, as will how much variety she's willing to eat.

As an aside, for the first year we gave up meat, I gave my nephews Morningstar farms chicken patties, chicken nuggets, corn dog nuggets, and not one time did they realize they weren't real meat. While the price is higher, using foods like this to wean off our standard American junk food diet can be a good strategy.

 

[cornflake]

I recommend small, gradual changes first so that you don't overwhelm her, especially if she is picky. I had to do this and making small changes from one brand to another can make a world of difference. Switch milk to skim. Switch bread brands. Switch pasta sauce brands. Switch cereal choices. Switch deli meats- turkey and ham are relatively low fat for lunch. Watch condiments. Cut portions first before bannishing food items. Snyders pretzels minis have 0 fat, but the stick shapes have fat. Silly but true.
Keep track of what she is eating (do not involve her in this as it can cause eating issues) so you can see where the fat/cholestrol is coming from. Sometimes foods that can be eaten just shouldn't be eaten on the same day- such as PBandJ with steak, but OK to do PBandJ with chicken. Ask you doctor about eggs and peanuts/peanut butter. The school of thought right now is to not cut these things out as they contain good fats, just eat in moderation. Also, ask what exactly they mean by low fat. Get the numbers/limits and how many calories she should be consuming for her size. Don't obsess or she will obsess. An occassional treat or slip up is OK as long as you get back on track the next meal.

I don't understand.

First, peanuts don't have cholesterol, which is this girl's problem.

Second, saying it's ok to eat steak one day just as long as it's not the same day as peanut butter...? Again, peanuts, no cholesterol. But also, it's about a seven-year-old with high cholesterol and a family history of young heart disease. Perhaps steak shouldn't be a thing at all. It's not about it's ok if you don't eat it all in one day, it builds up in the body, that's the point.

As far as involving her, I completely disagree.

When should she get involved? It's her health and her body and she'll very soon be buying stuff outside on her own, eating out with her friends, etc. She has to know that while her friends might be fine scarfing a cheeseburger for lunch, she really shouldn't. There's nothing wrong with a discussion of what's good for bodies to have, what cholesterol is, what vitamins are, why we want things that are fresh and colourful and grow in the ground because they give us good energy etc., and why cheeseburgers don't and have things that aren't so good for us, as people, to eat. She's apparently going to be having more regular cholesterol checks too, you don't think she'll notice that and ask? Keeping kids ignorant is never the answer, imo.

That's not eating disorder territory. Eating disorder territory is about telling little kids they're fat and to not eat; giving them accurate information and helping them learn about nutrition and healthy choices will serve them well throughout life.

Stuff like one mini pretzel brand may have no fat is nice, but it's still just white flour, possibly trans fats (horrible for any human being - btw, a lot of products have 0 trans fats listed in the nutrition information but actually contain trans fats. As long as it's less than .5g a serving, they're allowed to say 0, which is great, except for stuff where most people eat more than a serving, and because trans fats are horrible in any quantity. If the ingredients have 'partially hydrogenated' oils of any kind, the food has trans fats) and salt. Not that no one can ever eat pretzels but they make whole wheat ones.

Again, this wasn't 'we'd like to start eating a bit healthier', it's about a child with a medical issue that needs addressing, that she'll need to watch her entire life. Seens like starting sooner, getting her used to doing this now, would be the best choice for her future.

 

[disneyandme]

Cornflake- I suggest you actually ready my post carefully before you quote it and comment (incorrectly) on it. I did not say to eat steak and peanuts-- I used this combination as an example of how somethings are Ok in moderation but not in combination. And, yes, the medical train of thought currently is to not cut out nuts because they have polysunsaturated fat that help remove cholestrol from the bloodstream. Eggs are also being recommended. The key is moderation which is why I suggest that the OP speak with her doctor about these things.
I also did not say to not involve the child in the process of changing her eating habits. I said not to involve the child in tracking her intake at this age.

 

[cornflake]

Cornflake- I suggest you actually ready my post carefully before you quote it and comment (incorrectly) on it. I did not say to eat steak and peanuts-- I used this combination as an example of how somethings are Ok in moderation but not in combination. And, yes, the medical train of thought currently is to not cut out nuts because they have polysunsaturated fat that help remove cholestrol from the bloodstream. Eggs are also being recommended. The key is moderation which is why I suggest that the OP speak with her doctor about these things.
I also did not say to not involve the child in the process of changing her eating habits. I said not to involve the child in tracking her intake at this age.

Yes, I did read it... did you read mine?

I didn't say you said to eat steak and peanuts, you said to not eat them the same day. You're the only one discussing not eating nuts. I don't understand why you think anyone else is discussing not eating nuts - nuts, again, do not contain cholesterol.

Hence I didn't understand why you'd object to eating them with steak the same day as ... they don't have cholesterol so it's not like they'd add to a cholesterol load.

Yes, moderation is good but maybe there are things that don't need to be consumed at all, or very rarely - like, say, steak. I wouldn't think of that as a not-the-same-day as other cholesterol-laden foods (like shrimp or eggs or cheese or pork or etc.) because it's not as if cholesterol is all flushed daily.

 

[disneyandme]

Getting back on topic. OP, I suggest you give your daughter strategies to handle situations where she will have to make food choices with a lack of good options-- birthday parties, treats at school, eating at a friend's house, restuarant meals, etc.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

I would advise getting rid of all the junk in your house and do not buy it again. Give it to a food pantry or thow it out. Do you live near a Whole Foods or Trader Joes? If not, you need to stay out of the aisles of a regular grocery store, the food is all highly processed. Focus on produce and lean meat/fish (sparingly), lowfat dairy. Rice, beans, lentils are your friend. I would not avoid eggs but i wouldn't give them to her everyday. It will be a lifestyle change for you both and in the end you will be much happier for making these changes.

What does your daughter eat now? If you tell us then we can give you better suggestions to match her tastes.

 

[disneyandme]

I would advise getting rid of all the junk in your house and do not buy it again. Give it to a food pantry or thow it out. Do you live near a Whole Foods or Trader Joes? If not, you need to stay out of the aisles of a regular grocery store, the food is all highly processed. Focus on produce and lean meat/fish (sparingly), lowfat dairy. Rice, beans, lentils are your friend. I would not avoid eggs but i wouldn't give them to her everyday. It will be a lifestyle change for you both and in the end you will be much happier for making these changes.

What does your daughter eat now? If you tell us then we can give you better suggestions to match her tastes.

I agree. Not having bad foods available is half the battle. Find some fun, kid friendly low fat foods for treats otherwise it will seem like everything is No No No.

 

[Schmeck]

My son has extremely low cholesterol and we try to feed him bacon and hot dogs and things like that. It is tough but for the exact opposite reasons. He has autism and from what I am told it is pretty typical for kids with autism to have low cholesterol like this. When he was originally tested he was already eating 2 slices of bacon, hot dogs and chicken nuggets every day. We were told to feed him 4 slices of bacon each morning, but he has been refusing it.

Recent study just came out that having bacon and other processed meats on a daily basis greatly increases the risk of cancer in males. I'll try to find the link.

I'd get a new doctor, if his solution to low cholesterol is to increase processed meats. Try a nutritionist, maybe?