As sports return, experts urge awareness of medical emergencies
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — With fall sports underway, recent incidents involving young athletes are raising questions about how to prevent medical emergencies on the field and what parents, coaches, and athletes should watch for.
Thirteen-year-old Caden Sorrell of Greensboro, North Carolina, died August 30 after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest and collapsing during football practice.
Medical emergencies can affect athletes of all ages, including heat illness, respiratory complications and cardiac arrest.
Dr. Dominick Defelice, head team physician for UNCW Athletics, said warning signs of heat illness can include weakness, fatigue and excessive sweating. Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest pain may signal respiratory complications.
Cardiac emergencies, however, can be more difficult to predict.
“A lot of the cardiac collapses and cardiac emergencies come seemingly like a lightning bolt out of the clear blue sky, you know, you can’t always predict when someone is going to have that cardiac emergency, but certainly if someone is telling you things like heart palpitations or chest pain or a history or family history of cardiac issues, those would be warning signs,” said Defelice.
Defelice said basic nutrition, including staying hydrated and getting enough sleep, can help keep student-athletes safe. He also emphasized the importance of pre-season physicals and having a clear emergency action plan in place.
