<p>This is just so sad. Although there is no cause of death yet, it appears to be a sudden cardiac death. Have any of your kids been given a cardiac physical exam? </p>
<p>[Mich</a>. high school player dies after winning shot | Comcast.net](<a href=“Discovery Hub - News & Technology”>Discovery Hub - News & Technology)</p>
<p>It’s usually IHSS, a congenital condition hard to detect on routine exam. Italy recommends screening HS athletes with EKGs or echocardiograms, but not the US or other European countries. This is another reason that athletes who get dizzy or faint in any circumstance should report it, and not “play thru it”</p>
<p>This really scares me. My daughter had several “episodes” when she was in peak growth and had to see a pediatric cardiologist several times between 11 and 13. She had an EKG and an ultasound and was cleared, but every time I read something like this it strikes terror in my heart. My heart just aches for this poor boy and his family and friends.</p>
<p>I can see why, fm. At least your daughter was checked, and of course routine screening isn’t recommended because of a high number of false positives-test abnl, nothing wrong…</p>
<p>Stanford screens its athletes — and at least some European universities have been doing it for decades.</p>
<p>[ECG</a> testing of young athletes cost-effective in preventing deaths, study shows - Office of Communications & Public Affairs - Stanford University School of Medicine](<a href=“http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2010/march/ecg.html]ECG”>http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2010/march/ecg.html)</p>
<p>I’m talking about recom from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Cardiology, as well as the US Preventative Task Force. Not agreeing or disagreeing, and I personally have a very low threshold for ordering tests. We have athletes and parents fill out a preparticipation questionaire.</p>
<p>My pediatrician had my kids get baseline EKGs and echocardiograms when they started playing sports in 5th grade. We have no history of pre-age 60 heart problems on either side of our family. He said there are too many unknown irregular heartbeats that cause problems.</p>
<p>We recently had an incident like that here in NJ too, where a high school swimmer swam his leg of the 200 free relay, got out of the pool, collapsed and died. As always, no sign of anything leading up to it. </p>
<p>I once had a script to get my daughter an EKG but never did. I plan on asking for that again before she heads off to college, along with the whole other making-sure she’s well enough running around.</p>
<p>Very scary and very sad for all families involved.</p>
<p>I believe an enlarged heart was the COD from the coroner, in the MI hoops star. Sadly, this kind of thing happens all too frequently.</p>
<p>The stat I heard on the news last night suggests one teenager dies of sudden cardiac arrest every nine (9) days in the US. Scary indeed.</p>
<p>A CO rugby player dropped dead this weekend, also reportedly from an enlarged heart (cardiomegaly, ventricular hypertrophy). His condition was previously diagnosed …and he had reportedly undergone several surgeries to address it. In some regards, this is almost more tragic to me…because the family likely had false security that he was cleared to continue participating in athletics where his heart rate would be elevated regularly.</p>
<p>D’s university includes an EKG in their pre-training screening for all athletes. Our state is considering requiring such testing of all high school athletes. The problem is the high cost, especially given that many high schools have already gone to pay-to-play. For the upper class, this poses no problem because they have the money to pay for it. Those on reduced lunch would likely have the EKG provided for them by the school, free of charge. Once again, the middle class would take the hit. If insurance companies decide to pay for this preventative measure, they’ll only pass the costs on to the consumer. The middle class would get taken to the cleaners again.</p>
<p>[Michigan</a> team to play days after star died on court - Prep Rally - High School - Yahoo! Sports](<a href=“http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Michigan-team-to-play-days-after-star-died-on-co?urn=highschool-330422]Michigan”>http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Michigan-team-to-play-days-after-star-died-on-co?urn=highschool-330422)</p>
<p>In the latest news regarding this tragedy, the Fennville team has decided to go ahead and play in tonight’s playoff game.</p>
<p>In a touching show of sportsmanship, their opponents have ceded their homecourt advantage, allowing the game to be relocated to a larger venue nearer Fennville, thus allowing more of the grieving Fennville community to attend what is shaping up to be a tribute to Wes Leonard.</p>
<p>There is good sportsmanship all around.
</p>