(WFSB) – Connecticut is requiring high school athletes to undergo pre-competition physical exams before stepping on the field this fall, but one Windsor family is learning that the results of the physicals don’t necessarily mean their students will be able to play safely.
Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing more than 290 pounds, 15-year-old Elijah Rivera was coming into his own.
“He was the youngest and the biggest,” said Elijah’s father, Jay Rivera. “He opened the microwave and literally ripped the handle off.”
Elijah was learning how to use his powers as a football player at Windsor High School when he collapsed during practice on October 10, 2023.
“They got there within a few minutes. They got there within a couple of minutes,” Jay Rivera said. “It all happened really fast. It’s kind of hard to remember it all.”
Elijah died at the hospital. His family later learned he had an enlarged heart. He had passed a required physical the previous summer before participating in sports.
“When we talk about physicals in sports, right now it’s just a checklist. I feel like we need to do more for our kids,” Rivera said.
The sports physical exam required for Connecticut student-athletes includes a family history questionnaire and a medical examination by a physician.
Dr. Allison Crepeau was not Elijah’s primary physician. She is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in pediatric sports medicine. She explained what the pre-participation physical exam would entail.
“We’ll check your vision, your hearing, your vital signs, do a heart and lung exam, and we’ll do a basic orthopedic exam, where we’ll check all of your joints to make sure there aren’t any major issues,” says Dr. Allison Crepeau, MD. “We’ll basically check your pulse, check your breathing, listen to your heart to make sure there aren’t any murmurs or irregular heartbeats or anything like that.”
Dr. Crepeau says if the tests identify risk factors, the next step would be an electrocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart.
“I think that’s one of the important things to discuss with your pediatrician, and hopefully that will come up in the family history section if there are any concerns,” Crepeau said. “Currently, it’s not required in the state of Connecticut because we’re not in a situation where every student needs to have this done unless there are concerns.”
Rep. Nicole Klarides DiTria said the idea of requiring additional cardiac testing for student-athletes has been studied multiple times by the Connecticut Legislature, but she said the studies have not become law because of the expense.
“It’s an insurance issue; insurance doesn’t cover the pre-participation medical exam,” Klarides D’Itria said. “It would have been a huge burden on the family, especially if insurance hadn’t covered it.”
Jay Rivera said doctors never recommended additional cardiac tests for his son that may have saved his life.
“It’s not right for an insurance company or anybody to say we’re not going to pay because we don’t need it,” Rivera said. “I think we should know more about how kids’ bodies respond before we send them out on the football field or the basketball court.”
Rivera hopes Elijah’s strength can deepen our understanding of sudden cardiac death.
“Let’s talk about this. Let’s be more open about it. Let’s have a discussion because this is out there and it’s something we need to be aware of,” Rivera said.
The Riveras are working to start a foundation called “Always 65” that will focus on educating parents and schools about the signs of sudden cardiac arrest.
In Connecticut, there is a nonprofit that provides free heart screenings to student-athletes.
A clinic offering free testing for student-athletes will be held in Branford next month.
This is part two of our investigation into Connecticut student-athlete safety. Click here for part one.
Copyright 2024 WFSB. All rights reserved.
