For many children, sports are a part of their childhood and adulthood. However, when children live with or develop a heart condition, parents are understandably concerned about how safe it is for them to play sports.
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Pediatric cardiologist Akash Patel, MD, says many factors determine whether a child can (or can’t) play a particular sport.
“We have learned that creating a proper safety net for children can often allow us to be free and allow them to participate in sports,” he said. “Obviously, there are certain circumstances where we want kids to stay away from playing certain types of sports, or maybe fit into a sports environment to be as safe as possible. But the goal is for most kids to play safely.” can play games.”
Can kids living with a heart condition play sports?
Dr. Patel said participation in sports generally depends on the specific heart condition the child is living with. Every child is different – and even children with the same diagnosis may have different symptoms or a more severe condition.
Have heart disease, or conditions that affect the heart muscle. See the article : ‘N * Gen’ brings science to TVs in Africa. In these, the heart may be irregular, have scar tissue or be enlarged or thickened.
“We know that when people with this disease play sports, they are at increased risk of cardiac arrest during exercise,” said Dr. Kind of “most relevant” where games are concerned.
“But not all children with coronary heart disease are the same. So, there are circumstances where they are able to play certain types of sports or do certain levels of activity.”
In general, children who have had heart conditions, and perhaps even heart surgery, do not need any additional protective equipment for the sports they are playing. They are also usually not prevented from playing certain positions – for example, they are allowed to be the catcher, but not the first player in baseball.
But Dr. Patel said some kids may not be given the green light for any sport. “We generally tell kids with pacemakers or defibrillators to avoid contact sports,” said Dr. Patel. “Those are sports where they can get a direct hit from a device that’s placed under their skin, in their stomach or in their chest. You want to minimize any risk of damage from this device. That changes the sport they can play.”
The guidelines for those who cannot play games may also change over time. For example, historically, children with heart disease, or an irregular heartbeat, have been restricted from playing sports. Today, however, that is not always the case.
Precautions to take before playing sports
With all that being said, Dr. Patel said there are precautions that parents, children, schools and doctors can discuss before starting sports. “We want to identify children who are at risk of having a cardiac event on the playground,” he said. “And we want to identify it before that happens.”
Pre-participation cardiac screening
One of the most important steps children can take is to participate in a heart screening before a physical. To see also : Brightside: Multilingual Books – 47abc. For athletes with known heart disease, this screening is generally done in conjunction with a cardiologist and primary care provider.
“That’s where I’ll usually write specifics in terms of what games they can play, how they should play, when and how they should limit themselves, and any kind of safety net they need. sports,” said Dr. Patel. “The cardiologist will work with the primary care provider because we’re focused on the heart. We can say, ‘From a cardiac perspective, these are the things that will allow the child to return to sports.’
This research is important because there are times when athletes die after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. These tragic events are rare, occurring anywhere between 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 300,000 people, but they do happen.
“Unfortunately, there are situations, despite the best investigation, these events can still happen,” said Dr. Patel. “One of the important things that families should always be aware of is, ‘How do we create the safest environment if a child is having an episode?'”
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Another layer of protection for children with heart conditions is to be around people who know CPR. “Knowing CPR is a good life skill for everyone,” advises Dr. On the same subject : Understand the different rules and policies for transgender athletes. Patel. “But I tell families who have children living with heart conditions that all people providing care for a child – for example, parents, babysitters and nannies – should learn CPR.”
For athletes with cardiac conditions, families can take the extra step of making sure coaches and athletic trainers are trained in CPR. “If a cardiac event occurs, they can give CPR until the emergency services arrive and, hopefully, revive the child,” said Dr. Patel.
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
In some cases, children can have a cardiac event where their heartbeat becomes abnormal and dangerous. The use of an AED, or automatic external defibrillator, can help a defibrillator return to its normal rhythm.
“You should always do CPR,” said Dr. Patel. “That’s before it. But if you want to remove a child from a dangerous situation because of an irregular heartbeat, using an AED quickly is important. The sooner you can do that, the sooner you can save a child.
When you call 911, the police, fire department or EMS will bring a defibrillator to the scene. But today, more and more schools have AEDs available on site.
“If you have children who play sports, you may want to ask if your school has an AED available – and, if so, where it is located in the sports facilities,” suggests Dr. Patel. When schools can’t provide an AED, families can buy one themselves. “It’s not necessary for healthy children,” he continued, “but it’s something that’s been shown to be beneficial for at-risk children.”
For example, children with a condition called Long Q-T syndrome, which affects the heart’s electrical system, should have an AED nearby. “We know that if they take appropriate medication and their ECG suggests that they have less risk factors, we can allow them to play sports,” said Dr. Patel. “But then they need to have an AED available at sporting events and people around who know how to do CPR.”
At the end of the day, the decision to play (or not play) sports is a shared decision between the family, the child and their doctors and other health professionals.
“This means that the parents and the child have to make this decision with the school or the team and the doctors,” said Dr. Patel. “We need to create an environment where there is appropriate medicine, that care providers or coaches or parents know how to give CPR. And clearly, we have assessed that their situation is low risk.
“Sports offer many benefits in terms of socio-emotional development, teamwork, and pure joy,” he added. “So our job is to make sure kids can play sports safely. If they’ve had an evaluation that shows there are no concerns, they’re usually allowed to play any sport.”
Innocent heart murmurs may go away after a while. Sometimes, a heart murmur continues for life without causing serious health problems.
Is it OK to exercise with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Current guidelines recommend limiting competitive sports participation in individuals with HCM to low/low intensity sports such as golf or bowling,1-3 and vigorous recreational exercise is also recommended.
What not to do with HCM? The risk of sudden death from HCM is higher during exercise than at rest. In addition, the risk caused by exercise seems to be related to the intensity of the exercise and even the intensity of the training.
Does exercise make hypertrophic cardiomyopathy worse?
For this reason, it is recommended that HCM individuals and athletes avoid vigorous exercise for fear of worsening hypertrophy and increasing the risk of SCD (3, 4, 11).
How much exercise can I do with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
“I often encourage my HCM patients to adopt a moderate exercise regimen, such as walking for at least 20 minutes, 5 days a week,†said Dr.
How do you strengthen a weak heart?
7 powerful ways to strengthen your heart
- Be active. Your heart is a muscle, like any muscle, exercise is what makes it stronger. …
- Quit smoking Quitting smoking is hard. …
- Weight Loss Weight loss is more than just diet and exercise. …
- Eat heart-healthy foods. …
- Don’t forget the chocolate. …
- Don’t eat it. …
- Don’t stress.
Can a weak heart become strong again? Just like working out your quads, working out your heart can make it stronger â Learn more from a cardiologist.
Can a weak heart be restored?
Although heart failure is a serious condition that gradually worsens over time, some conditions can be reversed with treatment. Even when the heart muscle is weakened, there are a number of treatments that can ease the symptoms and stop or slow down the gradual worsening of the condition.
Can I play football with cardiomyopathy?
Arrhythmogenic (right ventricle) cardiomyopathy (ARVC/AC). Recommendations: Athletes with a diagnosis of AC should not participate in competitive sports and limit leisure time exercise and have regular follow-up.
Can athletes have heart attacks? Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is traditionally considered the condition most responsible for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes. [2â4] In a large case series of SCD in 1,866 young athletes, HCM was the causative condition identified in approximately 40% of cases.
Can you run with cardiomyopathy?
Simple daily exercise is safe for most people with heart attacks and strokes and can help manage symptoms. Over time, it can reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Your NYU Langone cardiologist can recommend an exercise program that is right for you. It can include walking, cycling, or running.
Can you play football with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
Currently, guidelines recommend caution against competitive sports in individuals with HCM, regardless of the absence of major SCD risks. However, the impact of sports participation on clinical outcome in HCM has been poorly investigated.
What is the leading cause of death in athletes?
Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of medical death in athletes, with an incidence of approximately 1 40,000 to 1 80,000 athletes per year according to the latest estimates. The risk and causes of sudden cardiac death vary according to the number of athletes.
What is the most common cause of death in student athletes? It is not rare. Acute Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing 356,000 people annually. But what most parents don’t know is that SCA is the #1 killer of student athletes3 and the leading cause of death on school campuses4.
What causes early death in an athlete?
Most of the young competitive athletes (under 35 years of age) die prematurely due to congenital heart disease. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy appears to be the most common cause of this type of death, accounting for half of all sudden deaths in young athletes.
What is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in an athletic population?
Recent data from the National Institute of Sports Medicine suggest that the most common autopsy finding in SCD cases was a normal cardiac structure (25 percent),3 indicating that cardiac arrhythmias and other electrical abnormalities may be the etiology- the most popular.
What are the top 3 leading causes of death in sports?
| Date/Foreseeable Events | |
|---|---|
| Metabolic â¢Hyponatremia â¢Hypoglycemia | Excessive hydration Poor oral intake before the event, food |
| Breathing ⢠Breathing ⢠Pulmonary hemorrhage (PE) | Old asthma is aggravated by a coagulated condition, obesity |
