The City of Miami and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Program teamed to offer free EKG screenings for children participating in the city’s summer camps in an effort to detect heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac death.
A total of 345 screenings were conducted throughout the City of Miami and six patients were identified as in need of followup testing as a result of the EKG screening event.
“We need strong, healthy children to be the future leaders of a strong, healthy Miami,” said Emilio Gonzalez, city manage. “This partnership and program show the power of engaging our community as a team to offer services to those who otherwise may not have received them.”
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital offers free EKG testing for children in an effort to detect conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac death. The leading cause of sudden death among young athletes is sudden cardiac death. Usually, these conditions have no advance signs or symptoms.
“All of us at Nicklaus Children’s are passionate about preventing sudden cardiac death in children in our community. We are grateful to the City of Miami for collaborating with our free EKG screening program to avoid these tragedies,” said Dr. Anthony Rossi, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine with the Heart Program at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Each EKG screening can have a cost up to $433 per child. Through this partnership the Office of Community Investment and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Department of Pediatric Cardiology were able to provide free EKG screenings for children ages 5-21.
The following screenings were conducted: Virrick Park, 35 EKG screenings; Jose Marti Park, 41 EKG screenings; Shenandoah Park, 137 EKG screenings; Charles Hadley Park, 81 EKG screenings, and Grapeland Park, 51 EKG screenings.
