By John Burton
School joins Barnabas Health to prevent cardiac, concussion problems
LITTLE SILVER – Parents worry. That’s what they do; it’s part of the job description.
Parents of Red Bank Regional High School students had the opportunity this week to learn how to prevent a child from being hurt and how to detect a potentially life-threatening condition.
“Information is power,” said Red Bank parent Brenda Terry.
She joined other parents, students and staff at the regional high school for a presentation on a new program that will evaluate students for possible cardiac-health problems, establish a baseline metric to measure concussions and provide information about concussion prevention and treatment.
“It’s what you don’t know…,” Terry said, not finishing her thought.
The school district has partnered with Barnabas Health. Doctors will be on campus from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12 through Thursday, Aug. 15, to provide cardiac screening and concussion base-line evaluations for fall athletes, free of charge.
Terry, whose 16-year-old son, Aaron, plays soccer at the high school, said she hadn’t given much thought to a possible heart condition that could put her seemingly healthy son at risk. What changed her mind was the number of young people who have died from such conditions – including two RBR students who died during the 2012-2013 school year.
“It really is so scary,” she said.
Last school year, Albert Martin and Riyadhna Farrow, who were RBR seniors, died suddenly from what school public information officer Marianne Kligman said were cardiac-related episodes.
“It was an eye-opener,” Red Bank Parent Kathy Noble said of the students’ deaths. That’s what prompted her to come to the school Tuesday night with her daughter, Kyleigh, “to find out what the program is about.”
The program is the Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes, administered by Barnabas Health, owner and operator of six medical facilities in the state, including Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.
Barnabas Health – through the invitation of the district board of education – will conduct an educational program for the school population that offers information about cardiac conditions and symptoms and provides some basic screening to detect conditions that could pose a serious health threat, especially for those engaged in strenuous sports.
Barnabas operates the program out of all of its facilities, offering two free screenings a year at each facility, along with screenings it provides for schools.
While physicians and program representatives will screen athletes Monday through Thursday, additional screenings will be conducted during the year for other athletes as well as the entire student body – at no cost to the students or families.
The basic physical most students receive prior to playing organized sports doesn’t traditionally include an electrocardiogram, said Diana Toto, program director.
The most common cause of sudden cardiac death is from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is often characterized by a thickening of the heart wall. HCM often goes undetected, especially in young people, until an athlete goes into cardiac arrest during extreme physical activity, said Dr. Loyda Rivera, a pediatric cardiologist at Monmouth Medical Center. “The problem is that it could be the first sign and the last sign.”
There are other conditions to be on the lookout for, such as congenital abnormalities of the coronary arteries or Marfan syndrome, which affects the heart’s connective tissue, Rivera said.
Be aware of symptoms, she advised, such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, especially after little or no exertion; chest pain or discomfort; palpitations; dizziness, fainting, seizures or convulsions.
A panel of experts, assembled at RBR Tuesday night, advised everyone – not just athletes – that they should always drink fluids even prior to exercise.
Concussions happen even with appropriate equipment, said Dr. John Shumko, program medical director. He noted that about 1.7 million people in the U.S. each year seek medical attention for traumatic brain injuries, resulting in 52,000 deaths annually.
The important thing for those who have suffered a concussion it to receive proper attention and heal sufficiently before returning to sports or other activities. In most cases, that could take between 10 days and a month, Shumko said.
The danger is that the patient will suffer a second impact, which has a high fatality rate, especially among young athletes.
“Death can occur in a few minutes,” Shumko said.
“What we’re talking about, cardiac issues, concussions, you can’t put a Band-Aid on it,” said Joetta Clark Diggs, a four-time Olympic long-distance runner who is the program spokeswoman.
“It’s important to be as aware as possible to avoid disasters,” said Gene Horowitz of Red Bank, who was there with his son, Josh, who will be entering high school next month and plans to play soccer.
Horowitz already has taken his son to see a doctor in preparation for school and sports. His son acknowledged that more kids are taking these discussions seriously, particularly after the deaths of Martin and Farrow. “They’re more aware and taking care of themselves,” he said.
“I’m impressed RBR did this,” said Barb Kirkpatrick of Shrewsbury.
Kirkpatrick’s daughter, Erin, suffered a concussion last November that prevented her from attending school full time for the remainder of the school year. “She’s still recovering,” Kirkpatrick said.
“It’s good they’re doing this,” Erin said.
Noble added: “This is going to help a lot of kids and give peace of mind to a lot of parents.”
