Watch out if your child is out of breath going uphill

Pediatric Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Osman Yılmaz stated that every child has the right to do sports and that children should definitely undergo a cardiology examination before sports.

Stating that every child has the right to do sports, but a cardiology examination is absolutely necessary before sports, Sivas Medicana Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Osman Yılmaz said, “When there is a defect of a few millimeters in the child's heart or a minimal leakage in the heart valve, families immediately declare their children heart patients and make a fuss on their own. This is very wrong information. The basic principle of being a successful athlete in the future is for the child to gain fitness at an early age.”

“We need to get rid of misinformation”

Stating that there is a lot of misinformation in families, Yılmaz said, “For example, the child has a defect of a few millimeters or a minimal leakage in the heart valve. Families make a fuss over this issue on their own. They deprive children from doing sports. We evaluate the heart conditions of children. We look at the functions and filling capacity of the heart. We evaluate the performance of the heart. However, if there are significant vascular blockages or large-scale holes, we explain this to the family. We can give information about how much restriction or not to do sports. There is no such thing as restricting all the activities done or to be done. Activities are restricted gradually according to the heart pathology. However, there is a misinformation that when there is a millimeter defect or minimal leakage in the heart valve, the family declares their child to have a heart disease. And it prevents the child from all sportive activities. We need to get rid of this misinformation.”

“If a child is out of breath while climbing a slight slope, the child may have a lack of fitness”

Stating that sports not only do not harm the heart but also benefit it, Yılmaz said, “In our age, children go to ballet, swimming and similar courses from the age of 4-5. These activities do not cause the slightest harm to the heart and actually benefit it. Because they gain condition at a young age. If a five-year-old child is out of breath while climbing a slight slope, the child may have a lack of fitness. Of course, we need to evaluate the child's heart before these sportive activities. We need to understand whether panting is a lack of fitness or any heart problem. If the heart performance is good and there is no deficiency, the reason for this panting is a fitness problem. Sports can eliminate such problems. Gaining fitness at an early age is the basic principle of being a successful athlete in the future. Every child has the right to do sports. Children should not be deprived of sports due to minor problems.”