""When he was in the ICU, that was the first time we ever heard sudden cardiac arrest. Didn't know that was a thing, didn't know that this could happen to seemingly healthy kids," Sarmento said. "We realized that if we didn't know, there were many other families that didn't know, and then finding out that a simple EKG test could have detected what was wrong with his heart is what motivated us to do this event.""
"Sarmento said her biggest takeaway from doing this work is that heart issues in children are much more common than people realize. Although it's reported that one in 300 children have an undiagnosed heart condition that can put them at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, she said the risk could be far greater. Of the 12,000 kids Sarmento's foundation has screened, she said they've identified 115 with issues."
"She added that the foundation has commonly caught electrical issues with the heart, specifically Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. It is a rare congenital heart condition identified by an extra electrical pathway between the heart's chambers, which can cause rapid, irregular heartbeats and palpitations. Although it is usually asymptomatic and manageable, it can lead to cardiac arrest or sudden death."
Kyle J. Taylor Foundation partnered with 22 nonprofits to provide free heart screenings and lifesaving education at Saratoga High School for National Youth Heart Screening Day. The foundation began after Kyle Taylor died from sudden cardiac arrest in 2018, and the founders learned a simple EKG might have detected the problem. Volunteers staffed five screening stations on campus to assess students. Screening results suggest pediatric heart issues may be more common than reported: of 12,000 children screened, 115 had identified issues. The foundation frequently detects electrical disorders such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which can cause rapid, irregular heartbeats and, in rare cases, cardiac arrest.
Read at The Mercury News
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