Does high cholesterol affect children differently than adults?

Not many children have high cholesterol. However, if your child has a family history of high cholesterol or premature coronary artery disease, your child should probably have a blood test. If your child does not have a history of high cholesterol, but is obese, has high blood pressure, or diabetes, you should have him or her tested for high blood cholesterol. Usually, children can manage their high cholesterol through diet and exercise. In rare cases, doctors recommend that your child take a prescription drug like a statin.