Check cholesterol in children

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High cholesterol in the blood not only occurs in adults but even children can be affected. This can lead to many serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, or high blood pressure. Therefore, cholesterol screening for children is an extremely necessary step, contributing to early prevention of these risks.

1. High cholesterol status in children

High cholesterol in the blood not only affects adults but even children can get this problem. When the cholesterol level is too high, it can lead to many potential health risks, especially heart problems as children grow older. When the body accumulates too much cholesterol, it will form atherosclerotic plaques on the artery walls - where the blood supply to and other important organs in the body. Over time, these plaques will narrow the arteries and block the flow of blood to the heart muscle and brain, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. .

2. Causes of high cholesterol in children

In general, the causes of excess cholesterol in the blood in children often include:
Genetic factors: if parents have cholesterol levels, their children are also at risk of developing the condition. this. Diet: When children eat too much unhealthy fats, especially saturated or trans fats, which can also significantly increase blood cholesterol (bad LDL cholesterol). Pathology: such as obesity Unhealthy lifestyle: including sedentary, no exercise.

3. Check cholesterol in children

Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a new recommendation for checking cholesterol levels in children. This recommendation focuses primarily on some children aged 2-10, or some one-year-olds drinking low-fat milk (2%) instead of whole milk.
If you find that these recommendations may apply to your child, follow the new AAP policy below. This new policy was published in the July 2008 issue of “Pediatrics” journal.
American Academy of Pediatrics policy is “Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Children.” These are recommendations for cholesterol treatment and screening in children and adolescents who have a family history of heart disease or simply have high cholesterol levels. It also recommends screening for patients with unknown family history or who have other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity or diabetes.
Cholesterol screening should be done as soon as the child is 2 years old, but no later than 10 years old. One of the most effective methods of checking cholesterol levels in young children is the fasting lipid test. If this test is normal, you should have your baby repeat the test after 3-5 years.
For children over 8 years of age and with high blood levels of LDL cholesterol, cholesterol-lowering medication should be considered. Young people with high cholesterol should focus primarily on weight loss and increasing physical activity while applying nutrition advice from experts. The use of low-fat dairy products is also recommended for patients with high cholesterol levels, including 2% milk for children under 1 year of age, or who suffer from alarming overweight and obesity.

4. How to control high cholesterol levels in children?

One of the ways to effectively control high blood cholesterol levels for both children and your family is to focus mainly on a reasonable diet combined with other physical exercise programs. These measures usually include:
Healthy diet: a diet low in saturated fat or trans fat will significantly reduce high cholesterol. According to the recommendations of nutritionists, a child should consume only about 30% of total daily calories. However, it is not applicable to children under 2 years of age. In addition, parents should focus on providing enough essential nutrients for children to increase resistance against diseases. Some foods are rich in nutrients, including oatmeal, fruit, unsweetened cereals, low-fat yogurt, 2% milk, skim milk. Besides, should avoid giving children fried foods, soda or fast food.
Physical exercise regimen: besides adopting a healthy diet, you should also encourage your child to participate in physical exercise more often, such as aerobics, jogging, cycling, etc. or swimming. This will help raise the level of good cholesterol HDL in the body, thereby preventing the risk of cardiovascular disease for children.

When a child shows abnormal signs of health, parents can take the child to Vinmec Health system for timely examination and treatment.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health System, Pediatrics Department - Vinmec International General Hospital always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts thanks to the following advantages:
gathers a team of leading doctors and doctors in Pediatrics: including leading experts, with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, having worked in different hospitals. big hospitals like Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are all well-trained, professional, have a heart - reach, understand young psychology. Besides domestic pediatricians, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

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Reference source: babycenter.com