Children's Hearts -- When to Worry

The sudden deaths of two young Milwaukee-area athletes has many parents concerned that perhaps young people are exercising too hard.

But that's not the case, according to Stuart Berger, MD, Professor and Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Berger specializes in cardiology at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

"Sudden cardiac death in young people is extremely rare," he noted. "There are less than 25 adolescent and young adult deaths due to sudden heart conditions in the nation each year. That's about one in every 200,000 to 250,000 youths."

"Generally, exercise is very good for you," Dr. Berger said. "Exercise alone doesn't put you at risk. Children who are prone to this occurrence have an underlying heart condition that puts them at risk, not the exercise."

Dr. Berger sees many children with such symptoms as palpitations, chest pain and even fainting. "While these can be symptoms of a serious heart condition, the majority of cases are innocent or benign," he said. "Still, they warrant being checked out."

Family medical history is an important factor in the most serious cases. "Some of these conditions tend to be familial," Dr. Berger said. "If there is a history of early, sudden and unexplained deaths, that would be an important piece of information to share with your physician."

In that case, schedule an appointment for your child with a pediatrician or family doctor to be properly examined.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.