Even though the school year just ended, it’s not too early to start thinking about getting your child ready for the next school year. This includes scheduling a sports physical now.
Due to SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, basic safety precautions need to be taken.
If your child tested positive for COVID-19 within the last six months, they may need further evaluation that requires them to see their primary care provider. “From COVID-19, you can get myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart. You can have minimal symptoms from that and still have a sudden cardiac event, such as cardiac arrest,” said Marc Knepp, MD, pediatric cardiologist with OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
“The exam is necessary so we can prevent kids from sudden death or having a cardiac event after going back to playing sports.”
Guidelines for playing after COVID-19
Need a physical after having COVID-19?
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Cardiology recommend that any person with a COVID-19 diagnosis not play sports until a doctor has screened them for heart symptoms. Those include:
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
That exam should take place even if your child experienced mild or no symptoms from their COVID-19 infection. The virus can still damage the heart.
“It’s all about keeping kids safe,” Dr. Knepp said. “Take COVID-19 out of the picture for a minute. When we do the annual screening exams, we’re looking for the exact same things. The number of kids who might have a cardiac event is really, really small, but we can identify a good percentage of them and keep them safe. It’s the exact same thing here. The principles are the same.”
Extra testing if necessary
Other viruses besides SARS-CoV2 can cause myocarditis. This includes viruses that cause regular colds or influenza.
But the risk of heart problems after a COVID-19 infection is higher, so these new guidelines were put in place.
If irregularities are found, additional tests will be performed to determine the extent and severity of the problem. It’s possible your child will be sidelined from sports participation for a while. How long depends on what the tests reveal.
“We hate doing that. We know how much they want to play, and we want to get them back on the field or the court as quickly as possible. We’re going to do everything we can to make that happen,” Dr. Knepp said.
“Most of these kids will be just fine. They’ll get cleared and go right back to sports. But they need this exam to make sure, so they can go back and be safe.”
See your primary care provider
At OSF HealthCare, only primary care providers will perform sports physicals on kids who have had moderate to severe COVID-19 within the past six months.
“Your primary care provider knows your child’s history much better than an urgent care provider,” Dr. Knepp said. “They’ll know if additional testing is needed after moderate to severe COVID-19.”
The goal is to get your child back to the sports they love and to make sure they will not be facing a hidden risk.
Dr. Knepp shared of one incidence earlier this year when he heard from a pediatrician who saw a young girl who had COVID-19 three weeks before and only experienced borderline symptoms.
“They did an EKG that showed one minor finding. They got her in Monday to check her out and she was fine. She was cleared to be back on the court that night,” he said.
If your child is 6 or older and has had moderate to severe COVID-19 within the past six months and needs a sports physical, please schedule an appointment with your primary care provider. OSF OnCall Urgent Care and OSF PromptCare can perform sports physicals on children 6 and up who have not had moderate to severe COVID-19. If you don’t have a PCP, you can find one in your area or schedule an appointment today
Last Updated: May 23, 2022