Free Cardiac and Concussion Screenings Available for Young Athletes Ages Five and Up
Community Medical Center and Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center at RWJBarnabas Health are offering free cardiac and concussion screenings for children ages five and up at Ocean County College on May 6.
Toms River, N.J. (March 22, 2023) – Community Medical Center and the Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes (Morahan Center), both part of RWJBarnabas Health, are offering free cardiac and concussion baselines screenings for young athletes on Saturday, May 6, from 8 am – 12 pm at the H. Hovnanian Health Sciences Building at Ocean County College at 1 College Dr Building 102, Toms River, NJ 08753.
Screenings are free of charge and a parent or guardian must be present. An appointment is required.
To request an appointment time, parents or guardians may visit https://bit.ly/3n3ORSV. For the safety of all participants, all participants must wear masks in treatment areas.
“The screenings offered through Morahan Center help families take a proactive approach to concussion and cardiac issues in our youth athletes,” explained Jason Krystofiak, MD, the program’s medical director. “The goal is not to terrify people with statistics, but to try to protect young athletes and also not take them out of the things they love to do,” he added.
When preliminary testing is provided to young athletes, sudden cardiac arrest and tragic deaths may be avoided. “Nearly 90 percent of sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes occur during or after athletic activities, and hidden heart conditions are often the cause. Cardiac screening, open to 6-to 18-year-olds, will help to identify players who may require further testing or intervention,” Dr. Krystofiak explained.
FDA-approved ImPACT Pediatric® concussion screenings are available to young athletes, ages 5 and older. Having a concussion baseline study (ImPACT) can help identify issues in the future. ImPACT Pediatric is an iPad-based computerized test that is individually and easily administered as well as engaging for children, while effectively measuring neurocognitive function. Dr. Krystofiak said, “If an athlete is believed to have suffered a head injury, this screening test may be used to evaluate the severity and determine when it is safe to return to play.”
The Morahan Center provides education, assessment, and evaluation of sports injury and sports-related cardiac and concussion screening. Offering one of the most comprehensive pre-season screening and concussion management centers in New Jersey, the center partners with over 30 primary, secondary, and NCAA partnerships across the state of New Jersey and has provided 40,000 screenings to youth sports athletes since 2010.