Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Kids: 3 Questions Every Parent Should Ask Their Child's School and Sports Team
What would happen if a child collapsed at practice today? Would the adults around them know exactly what to do in the next 3 minutes?
In this episode of Active Play, Every Day, Dr. Emily Greenwald, pediatric emergency medicine physician and mom of three, sits down with Danielle Sturkey, pediatric cardiac electrophysiology nurse practitioner and program coordinator for Project ADAM North Carolina, to talk about one of the scariest emergencies in active kids and teens: sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is rare, but it is real, and it does not only happen to athletes or at big games. It can happen at practice, in gym class, at recess, or on the walk home from school. The good news is that when the people nearby are prepared, lives can be saved. Together, Dr. Emily and Danielle explain what sudden cardiac arrest actually is, why having an AED on campus is not the same as being ready, and how Project ADAM helps schools become Heart Safe through real, practiced drills.
Inside this episode, you'll learn:
Why sudden cardiac arrest is not a heart attack
What it can look like, including sudden collapse, gasping breaths, and even seizure-like movements
The 3-minute rule, and why every minute without a shock matters
How to use an AED (turn it on, then listen and do exactly what it says)
Why an AED will not shock someone who doesn't need it
What heart screening can and can't tell us about a child's risk
Dr. Emily's Active Play Prescription:
Ask your child's school and sports team these three questions.
Where is the nearest AED, and can you get it anywhere on campus within 3 minutes?
Who here is trained in CPR and AED use?
Do you have a written cardiac emergency plan, and do you practice real drills?
Where to find Project ADAM:
Website: https://www.projectadam.com (find an affiliate near you)
Where to find Dr. Emily:
