Texas High School QB Collapses, Dies

[EagleMorph]

West Orange-Stark High quarterback Reggie Garrett collapsed on a sideline in the second quarter in a game and later died at a local hospital. He collapsed shortly after throwing a touchdown pass and bystanders said it looked like he was suffering from a seizure, which he apparently has suffered from before. Garrett was a senior and had a scholarship offer from Iowa State.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/high-school/WO-S_quarterback_taken_off_of_field_by_stretcher.html

 

[Football_Bat]

That sucks.

Same thing happened in Chickasha, Okla. Big lineman collapsed after wind sprints on Tuesday and died on Friday.

http://newsok.com/article/3495821

 

[Small Town Guy]

West Orange-Stark High quarterback Reggie Garrett collapsed on a sideline in the second quarter in a game and later died at a local hospital. He collapsed shortly after throwing a touchdown pass and bystanders said it looked like he was suffering from a seizure, which he apparently has suffered from before. Garrett was a senior and had a scholarship offer from Iowa State.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/high-school/WO-S_quarterback_taken_off_of_field_by_stretcher.html

Thankfully the paper allowed comments on that story. Perfect story for the reasonable, incisive comments typical of newspaper websites.

There was another kid who collapsed but was saved by a nurse who came down from the stands. They were interviewed on the Today show a week or two ago.

 

[DocTalk]

The coroner is waiting for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. If it is sudden cardiac death form a heart rhythm disturbance, then realistically, the only treatment is defibrillation (shocking the heart from ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation into a normal rhythm). It's one of the reasons that AEDs should be available in all areas where people congregate, including sporting events.

In younger athletes, screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may help identify those who are at risk ofr sudden death from that cause. Unfortunately, too many parents and care providers cut corners and don't have a full physical examination done.

There is great debate about whether an EKG and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) should be done as routine. While Italy mandates both tests, they are optional in the US and recent studies suggest that the young athlete death rate is the same in both countries.

 

[JayFarrar]

I took a look at those comments, wowsers, people really are assholes.

 

[albert77]

I consider myself a Christian, but to celebrate this young man's death as some kind of victory for Jesus is way beyond tacky.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

This is the part that I find unbelievable:

...."the teams continued to play until the final seconds ticked off the clock."

 

[Lugnuts]

The coroner is waiting for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. If it is sudden cardiac death form a heart rhythm disturbance, then realistically, the only treatment is defibrillation (shocking the heart from ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation into a normal rhythm). It's one of the reasons that AEDs should be available in all areas where people congregate, including sporting events.

In younger athletes, screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may help identify those who are at risk ofr sudden death from that cause. Unfortunately, too many parents and care providers cut corners and don't have a full physical examination done.

There is great debate about whether an EKG and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) should be done as routine. While Italy mandates both tests, they are optional in the US and recent studies suggest that the young athlete death rate is the same in both countries.

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

 

[DocTalk]

The coroner is waiting for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. If it is sudden cardiac death form a heart rhythm disturbance, then realistically, the only treatment is defibrillation (shocking the heart from ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation into a normal rhythm). It's one of the reasons that AEDs should be available in all areas where people congregate, including sporting events.

In younger athletes, screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may help identify those who are at risk ofr sudden death from that cause. Unfortunately, too many parents and care providers cut corners and don't have a full physical examination done.

There is great debate about whether an EKG and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) should be done as routine. While Italy mandates both tests, they are optional in the US and recent studies suggest that the young athlete death rate is the same in both countries.

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

They require the skill of an echocardiographer to get good pictures, a cardiologist to interpret them appropriately and the test itself takes a fair amount of time to complete. These are a trio of reasons that an echocardiogram does make for a good screening test. We won't even talk about the cost.

 

[EagleMorph]

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

Because not everyone has a pediatrician or regular checkups with their doctor. Mostly because not everyone has adequate health insurance.

So there's no detection of a murmur and there's no test scheduled. All because they can't afford it.

 

[Den1983]

This is the part that I find unbelievable:

...."the teams continued to play until the final seconds ticked off the clock."

Nothing was confirmed until late. Garrett was taken to the hospital at 8:30 p.m. (which was second quarter) and pronounced dead an hour later. At least, that's my understanding.

 

[PeterGibbons]

The coroner is waiting for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. If it is sudden cardiac death form a heart rhythm disturbance, then realistically, the only treatment is defibrillation (shocking the heart from ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation into a normal rhythm). It's one of the reasons that AEDs should be available in all areas where people congregate, including sporting events.
In younger athletes, screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may help identify those who are at risk ofr sudden death from that cause. Unfortunately, too many parents and care providers cut corners and don't have a full physical examination done.

There is great debate about whether an EKG and echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) should be done as routine. While Italy mandates both tests, they are optional in the US and recent studies suggest that the young athlete death rate is the same in both countries.

Having an AED on hand shouldn't have been a problem, all schools in Texas, per UIL rule (IIRC), are supposed to have one on hand for all athletic events. I know all the schools around here do, even the 1A and 2A's West Orange Stark is a 3A, so there should have been one on hand

 

[HanSenSE]

I took a look at those comments, wowsers, people really are assholes.

I read two comments and want to hurl.

 

[DocTalk]

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

Because not everyone has a pediatrician or regular checkups with their doctor. Mostly because not everyone has adequate health insurance.

So there's no detection of a murmur and there's no test scheduled. All because they can't afford it.

This is not meant to hijack the thread into the morals of health insurance, but if a family can afford to pay the fees for athletic participation, should they be required to pay the fee for a sports screening physical to make sure their child is healthy enough to play?

 

[Pancamo]

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

Because not everyone has a pediatrician or regular checkups with their doctor. Mostly because not everyone has adequate health insurance.

So there's no detection of a murmur and there's no test scheduled. All because they can't afford it.

This is not meant to hijack the thread into the morals of health insurance, but if a family can afford to pay the fees for athletic participation, should they be required to pay the fee for a sports screening physical to make sure their child is healthy enough to play?

What fees are incurred to play high school football?

 

[93Devil]

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

Because not everyone has a pediatrician or regular checkups with their doctor. Mostly because not everyone has adequate health insurance.

So there's no detection of a murmur and there's no test scheduled. All because they can't afford it.

This is not meant to hijack the thread into the morals of health insurance, but if a family can afford to pay the fees for athletic participation, should they be required to pay the fee for a sports screening physical to make sure their child is healthy enough to play?

What fees are incurred to play high school football?

It costs about $100 a season where I am at. But if you are on the free lunch program, you do not have to pay.

This is due in large part to the economic collapse and the tea bag mentality growing in America today.

 

[Stitch]

My infant just had an echocardiogram last week after his pediatrician detected a murmur. Fortunately everything was fine... but it occurred to me that it is such a simple, non-invasive, non-radiation test... why doesn't everyone have one??

Because not everyone has a pediatrician or regular checkups with their doctor. Mostly because not everyone has adequate health insurance.

So there's no detection of a murmur and there's no test scheduled. All because they can't afford it.

This is not meant to hijack the thread into the morals of health insurance, but if a family can afford to pay the fees for athletic participation, should they be required to pay the fee for a sports screening physical to make sure their child is healthy enough to play?

What fees are incurred to play high school football?

You are asking this now? This was news 20 years ago.

 

[DocTalk]

Preventive medicine is always news.

 

[EagleMorph]

This is not meant to hijack the thread into the morals of health insurance, but if a family can afford to pay the fees for athletic participation, should they be required to pay the fee for a sports screening physical to make sure their child is healthy enough to play?

Not every school district or state has fees. And many are pretty low. Plus, physicals don't detect hidden ailments. If a kid has a heart problem that's based on genetics, it very well might not be found in a regular sports physical, especially considering a lot of kids get their basic physicals done at places like Walgreens clinic, which is less expensive than a regular doctor's visit.

It's one thing to pay $50 or even $100 one time to play football. It's even another to pay $40-$75 for a physical.

But when the only detection of some of these ailments that are killing young athletes requires health insurance that costs $250+ a month? A lot of families can't afford it.

 

[HanSenSE]

If sports physicals provided through the schools are like they were back in my day, not much can be detected. They were strictly of the turn-and-cough variety. Now if you go through your PCP, you might find something.