Rhythm of Our Youth

MORRIS—Morris Hospital will be offering its free Rhythm of Our Youth cardiac screening at Coal City High School on Thursday, Oct. 27. The goal is to identify high school students who may be at risk for sudden cardiac death by screening those who may have undiagnosed cardiac abnormalities.

On the screening day, a team of specially trained volunteers from Morris Hospital will perform electrocardiogram (ECG) screenings during the school day free of charge to students who have received parental permission to participate. An electrocardiogram is a non-invasive, painless test that measures the electrical activity of the heart and detects certain heart abnormalities that can lead to sudden cardiac death.

Parents of Coal City High School students who wish to have their child screened should complete an electronic consent form prior to the screening day by going to www.morrishospital.org/rhythmofouryouth.

Based on results of the screenings, about 3% of students are referred to their physician for additional follow-up. Typically, less than 1% are found to have a medical problem that requires cardiac intervention. Results are sent home to the student's parents and are not shared with the school.

Rhythm of Our Youth first launched in 2016 as a result of funding provided by generous donors to the Morris Hospital Foundation. Since then, over 8,000 area high school students have been screened through the program.

Sudden cardiac death claims more than 2,000 lives of children and adolescents in the United States each year. Most victims of sudden cardiac death have had underlying heart conditions that could have been detected through a simple ECG.