Being Prepared Can Save a Young Life.
• 11 year old girl died suddenly after walking into her morning classroom””.
• “High school hockey player collapses, dies during game”.
• “No clear explanation found in the death of teenager”.
In each of these cases, an apparently healthy young child or teen has died during a game or during participation in normal school activities. It’s a tragedy. It makes headlines. Every teacher or coach who reads these headlines shudders, feels sympathy for the family, and regrets the lost potential.
It is estimated that as many as 50% of young people who experienced Sudden Cardiac Death had symptoms (Warning Signs”) prior to their event. These symptoms may have been misdiagnosed or dismissed as insignificant.
With proper treatment, people diagnosed early with these conditions can live normal lifestyles and life spans.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is indiscriminate as to age, race or gender. Cardiovascular disease is the second leading medical cause of death in children and adolescents in the United States.
The true prevalence of Sudden Cardiac Death in youth is unknown due to the lack of a mandatory and systematic monitoring. Enhancing Heart Health strongly advocates for the establishment of such a requirement in order to provide youth with a safer and more informed athletic experience.
Early detection is crucial.
As it currently stands, youth are not adequately screened for heart conditions. Most youth who suffer Sudden Cardiac Arrest have an undetected heart condition. A thorough family history and physical examination that includes an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) as a baseline test can help detect approximately 60% of the heart conditions that can lead to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Approximately 2% of youth that are heart-screened are diagnosed with a heart abnormality or concern; 1% are diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) or Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD).
Waseeq Shahid , High School Basketball
To date, no one truly knows the devastating impact that Sudden Cardiac Arrest is having on our nation’s youth.
Click Here for information from the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association