This post is sponsored by HCA HealthOne.
Mom, let’s talk about something that can be really scary to hear about: sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes. When we see news about a seemingly healthy young person collapsing during a game, it’s completely natural to feel a knot in your stomach, especially if your own kids are involved in sports.
We chatted with Dr. Ian Milligan, a board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric cardiologist with HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children’s, to provide four important things you should know to help ease your mind and empower you.
Sports Participation Does Not Increase Risk
While sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes gains significant media attention, Dr. Milligan says that athletes have about the same low risk of experiencing it as anyone else. Physical activity encourages long-term health.
So, what’s the best way we can protect our kids from something we often can’t even see coming? It boils down to creating safer communities for everyone. Think about it: the more AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) we have readily available in places like schools, sports fields and even our local community centers, the better. And just as important, we need more people trained in life-saving CPR skills.
When you see those incredible stories in the news about an athlete being saved, it’s often because someone nearby knew CPR and an AED was quickly available. We need to work towards a world where those kinds of rapid, life-saving responses aren’t just possible for professional athletes, but for any child, or anyone at all, who experiences sudden cardiac arrest. It’s about empowering our whole community to be ready.
Underlying Conditions are Often the Cause, but Some Cases Have No Warning
When we hear about a child’s heart stopping so unexpectedly, one of the first questions we ask is, “Why?” It’s natural to want to understand what’s happening. Dr. Milligan says sometimes, a sudden cardiac arrest is linked to a heart condition a child was born with, like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (where the heart muscle is unusually thick) or issues with the coronary arteries. These are serious, and sometimes doctors know about them from birth.
But here’s what can be particularly unsettling for parents: some young people experience sudden cardiac arrest without warning. And what’s more, some of the heart problems that can cause it, like certain irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), simply can’t be picked up during routine check-ups or standard tests.
Now, while this might sound alarming, it’s important to remember that these undetectable conditions and sudden, unwarned occurrences are still not common. It’s a rare phenomenon but understanding this helps us grasp why these moments are often so shocking and unexpected for families.
Encourage your Athlete to Speak Up
Exercise can stress the heart, and if the heart doesn’t tolerate that stress well then exercise is really the time when you might see some symptoms, says Dr. Milligan. Make sure your child knows signs, so they can speak up:
- Abnormal shortness of breath with exercise
- Chest pain with exercising
- Fainting or near fainting
- Feeling unusually weak or tired during or after exercise
- Heart racing or palpitations
These are certainly things to talk to your doctor about or even to seek medical care.
What Moms Can Do to Protect Our Kids’ Hearts
OK, so we’ve talked about why sudden cardiac arrest can be so surprising. Now, let’s focus on what we can do as moms to be proactive and help protect our kids. Because even though it’s rare, taking steps to prevent a sudden cardiac event is something we can empower ourselves with.
One of the most important things are regular well-child visits and sports physicals. These aren’t just about making sure they’re growing right; they’re key opportunities to check on their heart health. Here’s how you can make the most of those appointments:
- Gather your family’s heart history. Before you head to the doctor, chat with your relatives. Ask about any heart conditions, unexplained fainting, or sudden deaths in the family. This information is a goldmine for your child’s doctor and can help them spot potential risks.
- Consider an EKG. A simple, non-invasive test called an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) can actually help identify some life-threatening heart conditions. Any child can get one, but it’s especially important to consider if:
- You have a family history of heart issues.
- Your child participates in any kind of athletics – whether it’s team sports, or individual activities like running, cycling, climbing, dancing, etc.
Ideally, every child who’s active should get some form of heart screening before jumping into sports. This usually starts with a thorough review of their own symptoms and your family’s history. If anything concerning comes up during that chat, then they’ll typically recommend an EKG for a closer look.
It’s about being informed and taking those sensible steps to give us all a little more peace of mind.
Pediatric Heart Care in Denver
The pediatric cardiologists and pediatric heart surgeons with HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children’s are as dedicated to your child’s heart health as you are. The pediatric cardiology team offers complete cardiovascular care for children from fetal heart care through infancy, childhood and adolescence. Our service also includes lifelong care for congenital heart disease with a specialized program for adults living with congenital heart disease. With decades of service to our community, the team of board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric cardiologists have built a reputation of excellence in diagnosing and treating the heart conditions of children throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. Learn more here.
