WASHINGTON - All younger children and teenagers should be screened for conditions that can lead to cardiac arrest or death, regardless of their athletic status, according to a new recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The new policy statement from the AAP, an organization made up of thousands of pediatricians nationwide, said the recommendation applies to youth athletes as well as less active children and teens.
The screening is particularly important for kids entering middle school or junior high school, the AAP said.The attention from pediatricians related to such screenings has generally focused on athletes in the past, the statement noted. "We tended to focus on athletes in the past when parents brought their children.