sudden death in athletes

[Pooh2]

My 9-year-old nephew died very suddenly of an undetected heart defect while walking with his dad.
He had his yearly well child check just a few weeks prior.
Everybody missed it.
Hard to live with the "what could/should we have done differently".

 

[slo]

nothing relevant about page 14. There is not an article.

This is a list of sudden deaths among athletes for each year. It is shocking. I will comment that many are preventable.

Such a sad state. We value sports at literally all costs.

This definitely needs to be changed to Some instead of We.

My DD19 is now a college athlete and we have always monitored every ailment she’s ever had and I have the medical bills to prove it. So we wouldn’t fit into the We. Now that she’s an adult, my DH and I have no say with what she has to do - we give her guidance, but she’s the one making her medical decisions now.

I do know some people that have turned a blind eye to their child athletes medical needs (physical more than internal) and it is upsetting. Some people are so blinded with the thought of their kid getting a full ride that they don’t want them taking any time to get well out of fear that they won’t get recruited. I say blinded, because very little athletes get full athletic scholarships. If someone is having their child play a sport when they shouldn’t be, so the sport can pay for college, then shame on them, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

 

[momz]

I'm not sure how this shows we value sports at all costs. Sudden cardiac arrest is a terrible thing in someone so young but things like this could happen while in gym class, while hanging out with friends and engaging in an activity, while on vacation with family.

I had a friend pass away in their sleep at a very young age. It was a terrible tragedy and had absolutely nothing to do with sports. They had a heart condition that could have manifested at any time.

yes, ask for a heart scan or screening when you take your kid for their sports physical. That's the point.

 

[momz]

Just to note....not all the deaths are from cardiac arrest. Brain injuries, embolisms, heat stroke are some of the other reasons listed. Doesn't make it any more devastating, but there is a risk of injury and a very small risk of death anytime a sport is played.

it's interesting to look through the years and see how the patterns have changed. There were more brain injuries and spine injuries, but we got better helmets and better shoulder pads, etc. Also learned better methods of tackling. Heat stroke is one that seems to pop up with couple players each year. I think this is getting better as more school have trainers who are capable of checking a child's vital signs and attending to them.

 

[momz]

Lots of different causes of death in that database: TBI, heatstroke, "infection" (whatever that means), etc. Not sure what the purpose of this is.

I'll help you out....ask for a heart scan when you take your child for their sports physical. that's the point. says so right there on the first post.

 

[momz]

Sports physicals were required when I was in High School, I graduated in 1975. And my son had to have one, he graduated in 2005. Not sure how you are defining heart screening. Googling it the only tests listed are blood pressure check, BMI, cholesterol and blood glucose checks. I would think the first two would be a normal part of any physical, don't recall any blood work being required. Are you suggesting something more than these tests?

EKG and echocardiogram are the basics. Can throw in a CT of the chest in some circumstances. But the basics can be had through many programs. Around here the cost is $50 for the basics. These were not done the 70's. It is interesting to look back on that list and see where we've made progress. Since the 70's there has been a noticeable improvement as far as head injuries are concerned especially.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I'll help you out....ask for a heart scan when you take your child for their sports physical. that's the point. says so right there on the first post.

Thanks for the "help," but the link doesn't support your point.

 

[kymom99]

At a local high school, a soccer player collapsed during practice. The young man died. His parents sued the school, the diocese, and a local hospital because an AED was not used until paramedics arrived. By law, adults in charge of a team must have access to an AED and be trained in its use. That did not happen. The parents brought about the suit to shine a light on this issue so that no other parents would have to lose a child this way.

As far as a heart scan being performed on athletes, I can’t see insurance agreeing to that. And we all know insurance drives treatment and care.

 

[kymom99]

I'll help you out....ask for a heart scan when you take your child for their sports physical. that's the point. says so right there on the first post.

You could ask, but I doubt insurance would cover it.

 

[sipnride]

No, it's not about valuing sports above everything, but there are things we need to adjust to as a society:

1. The long term effects of covid are still not fully understood. Decades after the Spanish flu, scientists discovered that it was responsible for an increase in several previously rare conditions. We should anticipate a similar trajectory.

2. It's hot, hotter than ever. You don't have to believe that climate change is man made in order to accept the fact that its hotter than its ever been since we started tracking weather. We need to understand and accept that so that we can change how we train student athletes (among other things).

3. It's gotten harder than ever for some student athletes to see a doctor. This isn't about having universal healthcare,, but for those playing rigorous sports the lack of access can be fatal.

On the last point explicitly, if we really valued sports above all then we would have funded school systems and universities to provide health insurance to all athletes. We haven't, so obviously we don't value sports as much as claimed.

 

[HopperFan]

As far as a heart scan being performed on athletes, I can’t see insurance agreeing to that. And we all know insurance drives treatment and care.

That is why there are lots of Heart Scan programs for high school athletes throughout the country that do these for less than $100, sometimes free depending on who is hosting an event. And it's not restrictive. DD had it in middle school and college, both times she went to a high school to have it done.

This is the main group in our state that does them.

https://heartscreensforteens.org/

You could ask, but I doubt insurance would cover it.

If there is any heart disease or sudden death in the family they might cover it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Ignoring what? I'm asking you to expand on your statement. You want the Damar Hamlin incident to make people "pay better attention". I'm asking you what you want them to pay attention to.

Hamlin, IIRC, was PERFECTLY healthy. Having trained medical personnel at the stadium saved his life. I would love to see that at every sporting event. Is it realistic though? What else would you like to see? AEDs at all sites? Great idea. Except when the site is just a park with no buildings other than the bathrooms.

Dude, can you cross me off your hobby list? These sidebars are not enjoyable for me.

 

[kymom99]

That is why there are lots of Heart Scan programs for high school athletes throughout the country that do these for less than $100, sometimes free depending on who is hosting an event. And it's not restrictive. DD had it in middle school and college, both times she went to a high school to have it done.

This is the main group in our state that does them.

https://heartscreensforteens.org/


If there is any heart disease or sudden death in the family they might cover it.

Very true, if they can justify it. I’m glad this is available for a reasonable cost.

My very close friend, though not a young athlete, was having some strange sensations and was worried about her heart. She had many family members die in their 50s of heart attacks. Her doctor could not find anything with routine screenings. He said insurance would not cover anything more. She went to what they call business health and paid $300 out of pocket. Ended up having blockages and needing 2 stents. Her brother was in the same situation. So getting things covered is not as easy as it should be. Oh, and insurance would not reimburse her for the $300 test even after she had the stents.

 

[sam_gordon]

Dude, can you cross me off your hobby list? These sidebars are not enjoyable for me.

I'm sorry. I didn't understand your original post on this subject and was asking for more clarification. It's that simple. It wasn't a criticism, it was asking you for more information regarding what you posted.

 

[_19disnA]

Nevermind.........I was commenting on a post that is no longer there..............

 

[lanejudy]

High schools already require athletic trainers at sanctioned games.

That varies by state. Many high schools in my state don't even have a trainer on staff, much less present at every game/competition. Our school only got a licensed trainer this past year, but the one can't be present at multiple locations (the high school gym is at a different site than the outdoor fields, ice rink and tennis courts) - though I have seen her run between various fields on the same afternoon, checking in at each.

That is why there are lots of Heart Scan programs for high school athletes throughout the country

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any in my state.

 

[dcassetta]

Some people are so blinded with the thought of their kid getting a full ride that they don’t want them taking any time to get well out of fear that they won’t get recruited. I say blinded, because very little athletes get full athletic scholarships.

This is so completely true. Our neighbor's son, who we have known since he was born, signed to play his sport in college. We went to the ceremony, partly because I told his mom I could pick up the cake. There were 11 kids there that day that were signing college letters. I don’t know the details for all of them, but I know for sure that our neighbor is receiving no money at all. His letter was about a preferred walk on status, which means he has a place on the team, but no money. He’s a good student so he does qualify for some academic money for college, based on grades and test scores. Several people congratulated him on earning a college scholarship for his sport. There are probably many people who see pictures of ceremonies like that, and assume that all of the students got a full athletic scholarship.

 

[DisneyOma]

I'm guessing they're referring to something like this: https://www.chsli.org/blog/cardiac-screenings-student-athletes-what-you-should-know



Now that I think about it, when DS was younger, he ended getting a heart screening because of something that had happened on the field. He's still playing, so couldn't have been too bad.

"Something that happened" and "couldn't have been too bad"? Your son was injured on the field and got a heart screening, and you can't even recall what it was about?

That varies by state. Many high schools in my state don't even have a trainer on staff, much less present at every game/competition. Our school only got a licensed trainer this past year, but the one can't be present at multiple locations (the high school gym is at a different site than the outdoor fields, ice rink and tennis courts) - though I have seen her run between various fields on the same afternoon, checking in at each.


Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any in my state.

Your school has enough money for sports, including an ice rink and tennis courts, but they won't hire enough athletic trainers? Is it a private school?

 

[luv2cheer92]

Dude, can you cross me off your hobby list? These sidebars are not enjoyable for me.

What in the world?

 

[slo]

This is so completely true. Our neighbor's son, who we have known since he was born, signed to play his sport in college. We went to the ceremony, partly because I told his mom I could pick up the cake. There were 11 kids there that day that were signing college letters. I don’t know the details for all of them, but I know for sure that our neighbor is receiving no money at all. His letter was about a preferred walk on status, which means he has a place on the team, but no money. He’s a good student so he does qualify for some academic money for college, based on grades and test scores. Several people congratulated him on earning a college scholarship for his sport. There are probably many people who see pictures of ceremonies like that, and assume that all of the students got a full athletic scholarship.

The sad thing is for your neighbors son is he probably will rarely play. His coach is not going to bench the players he did give money to so a walk on can play. I’ve seen this over and over again. We agreed, as a family, that our DD would not be on a college team as a walk on for this reason. She was incredibly blessed to be recruited by a team that is giving her a good athletic scholarship, but it’s not a full ride, which is ok - we are very grateful for the scholarship she has.