Yesterdays death of Maryland Terps football player Jordan McNair has many parents whose kids play sports, concerned about their safety.
Tonight, doctors say you can take extra precautions to keep them safe. Experts say the first line of defense is getting those pre-sports physicals.
Listening to the heart and lungs is the most important part of that evaluation, which also includes a concussion check.
While not mandatory, there are certain tests parents can elect to do for an added layer of peace of mind before their kids hit the field.
Dr. Frank Dawson, with MedStar Franklin Sqaure Hospital's sports medicine offered other suggestions; "If they want to be extra cautious they could go ahead with the stress test after doing the EKG as well as the Eco Cardiogram and all that would be under the dictation of a cardiologist at that point."
Dr. Dawson also says to make sure your child is conditioning themselves before practice begins and have your primary care physician check for underlying health issues like asthma, diabetes and heart issues before the start the season.
