Sports season is in full swing with football and volleyball games at nearly every high school. Before hitting the field or court, all young athletes should visit their pediatrician for a physical evaluation. While sudden cardiac death in otherwise apparently healthy teens is rare, it must be addressed to identify those who are at risk.
“If there is any concern a child is at a perceived increased risk, he needs to be appropriately evaluated to assess his readiness to participate in sports,” says Ilana Zeltser, M.D., pediatric electrophysiologist at Children’s.
Mass screening to provide clearance for athletic participation often results in inconsistencies and does not address the issue of adequately evaluating a child for cardiovascular disease, which can sometimes be silent.
“Children’s offers the most comprehensive evaluation with advanced imaging to treat any condition your child may have,” says William Scott, M.D., division director of Cardiology at Children’s. “Nobody else in Dallas has board-certified pediatric electrophysiologists.”
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