CNN Boy dies on Rockn Roller Coaster

[poohandwendy]

I just wonder if the day will ever come that echocardiograms will become a routine part of pediatric well visits. I know that these situations are rare, but it would not take much to find out who is walking around with a congenital heart condition.

So sad, I really feel or the family. hopefully, he never knew what hit him and did not suffer.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I wonder why there seems to be a sudden rash of deaths at the parks, when everything was so quiet for years? People stop reading warning signs or taking them too lightly?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I do have a question--is their anyway to have a child or adult checked...or is this only something that can be found AFTER it is too late?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I wonder why there seems to be a sudden rash of deaths at the parks, when everything was so quiet for years? People stop reading warning signs or taking them too lightly?

The rides that they are happening on are brand new (in terms of park age)--and we are now hearing more and more lately.

So I don't know if it is just little bodies getting pushed to the breaking point, or if it is just something so rare....but even so...much more common than in previous decades.

 

[poohandwendy]

I wonder why there seems to be a sudden rash of deaths at the parks, when everything was so quiet for years? People stop reading warning signs or taking them too lightly?

Actually, I don't think there is a sudden rash of deaths in the parks, I think they are just publicized much more than previously. And especially when a few incidences happen within a small time frame (especially when kids are involved), then they are really looking more closely and report every event that happens.

I actually think it is remarkable that there aren't MORE deaths in the parks, to be honest. Just the sheer number of people visiting, statistically, you will have deaths occur there.

 

[poohandwendy]

I do have a question--is their anyway to have a child or adult checked...or is this only something that can be found AFTER it is too late?

A congential heart defect can be found with diagnostic testing (not in every case, of course), but when there are no symptoms there is no reason to check. Especially a problem with children, because often a defect will cause sudden death. Sometimes they can be fixed, sometimes not. Depends on the extent of the problem, I guess.

 

[NCRedding]

My mother developed cardiomyopethy which was only discovered under a stressful event. the emergency room thought she was having or had had a heart attack, did an EKG which showed irregular heart beat. It was not until she had a heart catherization to determine if she had any blockage that they realized her heart was not beating properly--hers is a fairly rare type--her cardiologist has only seen about 12 in his 18 years of practice.

But, it is my understanding that an EKG will not necessary indicate whether there is a defect. It will detect unusual patterns, but not the cause of those (and some cardiomyopethy patients have no unusual patterns until the heart is seizing, or under stress) I think a heart scan and other invasive test is required--these are very costly, and few insurance companies will pay for it unless there are obvious symptoms.

 

[JVL1018]

I never thought I would be happy my son had a congenital heart defect, but with all the echos he had done and the cardiologists looking at his heart and everything, at least we know there is nothing wrong, except for the orginal defect-a hole-which was pretty easily fixed(catheterization with a patch, no open heart surgery needed in his case).

I wish we could check out my DD, honestly!

That poor family, my heart just breaks for them.

 

[miss missy]

Now, one must ask why the media isn't heralding the news at the top of their lungs....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201682,00.html

also a video of news on "Regulating rides, are amusment rides safe?"

click on videos on the right

 

[miss missy]

I wonder why there seems to be a sudden rash of deaths at the parks, when everything was so quiet for years? People stop reading warning signs or taking them too lightly?

No I just think our over-all health as a society is worse.

 

[VSL]

miss missy - maybe that does play a part

 

[froglady]

I do have a question--is their anyway to have a child or adult checked...or is this only something that can be found AFTER it is too late?

If you're willing to pay OUT OF POCKET you can be checked for anything. Many people go to places like the Mayo Clinic precisely for this reason.

If you have to depend upon insurance, no. As others have posted, it has to be something that is so common that it's cost effective to screen for it (such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, etc) or there has to be some indication that you're at risk.