Sudden cardiac arrest stands as the primary cause of death among student-athletes, often occurring without prior symptoms. This critical issue has prompted the Miami-Dade School Board and the State of Florida to mandate electrocardiograms (ECGs) for all student-athletes before they engage in sports. This requirement is part of the ‘Second Chance Act’ aimed at improving student safety.
Why Heart Screenings Are Necessary
High school sports play a vital role in students’ lives, offering lessons in teamwork, discipline, and coping with both victories and defeats. Despite this, the risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains a serious concern. SCA claims the lives of over 90% of its victims who often remain unaware of their risk. To combat this, schools in Miami-Dade County and throughout Florida have instituted mandatory heart screenings for student-athletes.
Getting Your Child Screened
The sports medicine community in Florida is committed to safeguarding the health and safety of athletes. Coaches receive training in CPR, and all schools are equipped with an automated external defibrillator (AED). Additional preventive measures include heat illness education.
An ECG is a straightforward and painless procedure that evaluates the heart’s electrical activity. Conducted alongside a health questionnaire and a physical examination, it provides an added layer of security for young athletes. Local healthcare providers, such as Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s, offer these screenings either free of charge or at a minimal cost, not exceeding $50 as per Florida law.
The objective is to ensure the safety of children engaged in sports. While not infallible, ECGs occasionally produce abnormal results that warrant further examination. Often, these turn out to be false alarms, allowing the child to resume participation. It is advisable to conduct the screening early to allow time for any additional assessments if necessary.
Though rare, the implementation of this simple test provides every student-athlete a fair opportunity to participate safely in sports.
Dr. Michael Swartzon, a sports medicine physician at Baptist Health South Florida, collaborates with teams like the Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, and InterMiami CF. He can be contacted at [email protected].
This article was originally published on July 24, 2026, at 1:33 PM.