Protecting Young Athlete's Hearts
Gear May Not Protect Kids From Balls That Strike the Chest
In the study, 23 of the children who died were wearing gear that did not cover the chest. In the other 10 cases, the blow directly struck the chest protector, and the kids still died.
"They were wearing standard commercially available chest gear, made of polymer foam, covered by fabric or hard shell," Maron says. "None have been proven to absorb the energy from a blow to the heart."
He says a few new products are in development but they're a long way from being ready for use. "They have to be thick but practical, wearable but effective, and relatively inexpensive. So it may not be so easy," he says.
So what should parents do in the meantime?
Richard Stein, MD, an AHA spokesman and director of preventive cardiology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, says parents should make sure their child's school or team has a defibrillator on hand -- along with coaches or teachers who are trained to use it.
"You really only have three minutes to act," he tells WebMD. "Make sure they are trained to respond to a downed athlete right away."
Protecting Young Athletes' Hearts
Gear May Not Protect Kids From Balls That Strike the Chest
Difficulty of Protecting the Heart
In the study, 23 of the children who died were wearing gear that did not cover the chest. In the other 10 cases, the blow directly struck the chest protector, and the kids still died.
"They were wearing standard commercially available chest gear, made of polymer foam, covered by fabric or hard shell," Maron says. "None have been proven to absorb the energy from a blow to the heart."
He says a few new products are in development but they're a long way from being ready for use. "They have to be thick but practical, wearable but effective, and relatively inexpensive. So it may not be so easy," he says.
Advice for Parents
So what should parents do in the meantime?
Richard Stein, MD, an AHA spokesman and director of preventive cardiology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, says parents should make sure their child's school or team has a defibrillator on hand -- along with coaches or teachers who are trained to use it.
"You really only have three minutes to act," he tells WebMD. "Make sure they are trained to respond to a downed athlete right away."