Posted on

Athletic Trainer, AED device saves football player with enlarged heart

Article reposted from KLTV7
Author: Brionna Rivers

Last night’s Carthage vs Henderson football game, took a dangerous turn when a 12-year-old Carthage player went into cardiac arrest during halftime. Athletic trainer Colby Barron, along with Henderson firefighters quickly administered care.

We immediately knew that something wasn’t good, the kid wasn’t breathing so we called 911 we sent for the AED,” says Barron.  “We got the kid’s pads off and immediately put the AED on him and unfortunately it had to shock him, the fire captain began CPR and luckily you know the kid began to breathe on his own again.”

Barron says having the AED or Automated External Defibrillator on hand was a must in this situation.

“If we wouldn’t have had the AED last night we could have had a different outcome,” says Barron.

An AED recognizes an abnormal rhythm in the heart and then shocks the heart to get it back into rhythm. Henderson Fire Captain Mark Marsh says it’s a lifesaving tool.

“It’s an automated device and it’s a very simple device so not only first responders but anybody can use it,” says Marsh.

Carthage ISD says the injured student, who was flown from the field to Shreveport Medical Center had an enlarged heart — a pre-existing condition.

Most of the time you don’t know when there could be a pre-existing condition, there’s not really any test that they do to recognize those,” Says Barron.  “They answer a questionnaire on their physical and check yes or no but you know that’s really the only thing that most people get done they don’t get an EKG they don’t get any heart test it’s not required to get those.”

Barron says the reason the tests aren’t required is probably due to the high cost but adds that the value of that information out ways the price.

Barron added that, “It could be beneficial if you can recognize one to two to three kids each year they may have a pre-existing condition and you save one life one would day the test is well worth it”

Carthage ISD says the student is still in the hospital in Shreveport where he will be held for a few days for testing. Depending on the results, he may be taken to a medical center in Dallas.