You’ve made your decision: this is the year you will sign your teens up for a heart screening. Congratulations! You are taking charge of your family’s health and securing peace of mind for future years as your kids achieve their dreams. Yet with so many medical terms like ECG and ECHO floating around, you may wonder what type of process is needed for your child. Aren’t all screening programs the same, anyway?
The team at Living for Zachary (L4Z) knows that not all screening processes are created equal. We believe that it takes a unique, multi-faceted approach to screen youth for heart conditions—not simply an electrocardiogram or short questionnaire with a few boxes to be checked off. That’s why, in conjunction with Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano, we created the Living for Zachary heart screening package. This unique package includes five important components to screen youth ages 12-22 for issues that may cause Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Did we mention it is needle and pain free?!
Take a look at what a L4Z heart screening package includes:
- Electrocardiogram- A 12-lead electrocardiogram will measure and record electrical activity in the heart to detect any abnormalities.
- Echocardiogram- A 2D echocardiogram produces an image of the heart on a monitor, allowing doctors to carefully examine for structural issues.
- Blood pressure screening- Included in all L4Z screenings to detect blood pressure issues which may point back to the heart.
- SCA Risk Health Questionnaire- Recommended by the American Heart Association, this 14-element questionnaire is utilized as a tool to identify relevant markers of SCA risk in youth.
- Review- A board-certified cardiologist reviews and interprets each L4Z screening.
L4Z heart screenings are always conducted by certified staff.
As you can see, the L4Z screening process contains multiple steps—yet only takes about 20 minutes! With two locations to serve you in Plano and Denton, you will be in and out of the office in no time, while knowing that you have taken great steps to detect risk for SCA in your family.
It is important to note that a L4Z screening does NOT provide clearance for participation in athletics, and is intended as a supplement to pre-participation athletic screenings.
If your child is currently experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest symptoms, contact your pediatrician immediately.