WHAT SPORTS PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUNG ATHLETES AND CARDIAC CONCERNS

We all know – as adults – that life is precious and fragile. We know that. Whether we like it or not, that’s the grounds rules for life.

And to me, one of the main reasons why so many of us keep coming back to sports is that because athletic games are such a far cry from the cold, hard realities of life – and death. We all prefer the joy and fun that sports bring to us and to our kids.

Maybe that’s why we were so horrified when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made a tackle, stumbled backward and collapsed, and then was immediately swarmed by medical staff on the field to do CPR on him.

Yes, we all know that all sports carry an “assumption of risk of serious injury.” But while we recognize that, understandably, we sure don’t like to talk about it.

As sports parents, we all want our kids to go out and play sports because - in the long run - the positive benefits of playing sports far exceed the risk of getting hurt. Of course, the Hamlin case gives us serious pause — and thank God he is making excellent progress.

The question is – as sports parents, how do we cope with the reality that our child might get hurt, and in particular, suffer from a serious heart ailment? To help us walk through these pressing questions, I want to welcome back to the Sports Edge, Dr. Franklin Zimmerman. Dr. Zimmerman is Senior Attending Cardiologist, and Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation at Phelps Memorial Hospital/Northwell Health in Sleepy Hollow, NY. He is considered to be one of the nation’s experts on heart issues.

In short, this is a most important show. Listen to it here: The Sports Edge with Rick Wolff