New HISD program to check student's health

The Houston Early-Age Risk Testing and Screening (HEARTS) program involves free screening and testing for students at five middle schools. District officials are hoping that some 1,500 students will take an EKG in an effort to possibly save their lives.

Currently, every HISD school has a heart defibrillator. In August 2008, a 10th grade football player suddenly collapsed on the field during a stretching exercise at HISD's Lamar High School. He collapsed to an undiagnosed heart problem.

District leaders are hoping by providing a more extensive heart test, which is typically not given in normal checkups, they will be able to determine if a student is at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. With the permission of their parents, the test will be available to sixth graders at five HISD middle schools. P> "It's an age in which they are entering into puberty and early adolescence and at that age kids are very healthy," said Evelyn Henry, HISD Director of Health and Medical Services. "So, we want to get them before that growth spurt happens and it is also an age in which kids will start having an interest in athletics and other sports that might put extra demands upon their body."

Other tests have indicated that one out of every 50 to 100 students have some type of heart-related medical condition that parents are unaware of.

The HEARTS program will provide cardiovascular screening to 1,500 sixth-grade students at HISD's Burbank, Fleming, Hogg, Key, and Long Middle Schools.

The initial schools were selected because of their participation with the Houston Rockets and the Memorial Hermann Hospital System.

The Board of Education will vote during its meeting at 5pm tonight. If this proposal is passed, students can starting getting tested as early as the first week in May.