Help Prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest From Killing Kids March 11, 2007 LetsRun.com
Editor's Note: Because of a thread talking about sudden death in young athletes on our message boards we were contacted by the Joseph Foundation, to educate our viewers about the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and the efforts to install more Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in schools to prevent these deaths. The foundation was founded in the memory of Joseph DiPrete-DiGioia, a 14 year old, who tragically died during a cross country race in Maine. More below. Also be sure to visit www.safeathletes.org":
Sudden cardiac arrest is triggered by physical exertion, or by low- or high-temperature stress, or by a blow to the chest by a flying lacrosse ball or baseball (commotio cordis). The sports most affected are basketball, soccer, cross country and track, baseball and football. Teachers, coaches, parents:
Can your student's athletic program respond to a collapse within three minutes, with both CPR and the use of an AED? The chance of survival is good in a three-minute "drop to shock" interval, but the chance of survival decreases to less than 30 percent in only seven minutes from collapse. Does your local school have specific Emergency Action Plans recommended by the National Athletic Trainers Association, 1996 and 2006 (NATA educates and advises all high school sports preparation), by the National Federation of State High Schools which governs all school sports, and by the AHA?
Does your school's athlete pre-participation form follow the comprehensive format urged by a dozen American medical professional associations, the MPA, and required by most high school interscholastic associations around the country?
Does your school have an AED at each court, trail, and field sideline? Are all coaching staff trained in CPR/AED, as presently required by the Maine
Principals Association
Do you and your child know the warning symptoms of possible cardiac problems? Do the parent pre-season sessions include health-screening info for parent and student awareness?
All of the above proactive preparations need very little funds, and relatively little time; the few minutes of planning and communication can save lives, as has been shown around the country. Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, and Maryland have enacted legislation requiring AED programs in schools and their athletic facilities and, in some states, in all athletic and fitness facilities. Why? Because Sudden Cardiac Arrest (which is not a heart attack), can happen to those who seem to be the healthiest individuals. Sudden Cardiac Arrest strikes young people at higher frequencies during or soon after they are in gym or sports events. Joseph DiPrete had been approved for full athletic participation every year, including 1 month before he died. He collapsed while running in the Maine 2003 XC Festival of Champions and later died. There was no family history of heart disease or cardiac arrest, nor any known genetic condition. Joe had no known cardiac symptoms. At autopsy, he had no structural heart defect. To all who knew him, Joe was the epitome of health. Joseph is one of thousands of young athletes to die in this country. Please make sure you, your PTG and your school are becoming educated and HeartSafe trained, and that the schools emergency plans to prevent the death of active young people are written and communicated.
The Joseph Foundation has donated AEDs to many Maine schools that implement an AED program. Support for CPR/AED training, parent/staff AED education, and donations of AEDs are available through the Joseph Foundation, www.safeathletes.org"