Each year more 350,000 Americans die suddenly and unexpectedly from cardiac arrhythmia's. While most people don't know they have it until it's too late, one local family that is living proof that the silent killer is treatable.
"It doesn't show any signs outwardly. You will look absolutely normal, have no signs but you might faint. The main symptom is sudden death," says Marissa Smith of Fayetteville. It started when Smith's 6 year-old son began passing out, sometimes even in his sleep. She took notice when it happened again at school. "I don't even know how to describe going to the doctor over and over and them telling me nothing was wrong, and going to next appointment and all they did was a simple EKG. If he runs he could die," says Smith.
Andrew was diagnosed with a severe case of Long QT Syndrome, which is a form of SADS, Sudden Arrythmia Death Syndrome. "You hear about football players dropping on the field. It's normally long-qt related."
Smith says even though it is more common than childhood Leukemia, the sometimes overlooked disease, goes misdiagnosed. "Most people don't even know until it's too late. I don't have any other family we thought at the time that had it, until after we got tested." Smith immediately got tested and found out she, along with her brother and two of her three children had QTsyndrome.
Within a year, Smith and her two children, Hannah and Andrew all needed a defibrillator to control their arrythmia. Her best advice for families is to know the symptoms and get an EKG. "The EKG saved our lives, I can't say we wouldn't be here, but what we know after have the defibrillator, I don't think we would be. We could be that statistic." Smith says since their diagnosis, a new breakthrough genetic test can determine which type a person has, but can cost upwards of $15,000.
Smith has since become an active volunteer with the SADS Organization, and has created a website titled "Hope is a Heartbeat Away." Smith says she never even knew SADS existed until a year into their diagnosis. She says SADS has been instrumental in helping with insurance issues their family has run into because Long QT is considered a pre-existing condition. She has planned several fundraisers in schools and at the Catfish Hole in Fayetteville. Smith says the next on is set for February. For more information about SADS and LQTS visit www.LongQTHope.com or SADS.org.
"It doesn't show any signs outwardly. You will look absolutely normal, have no signs but you might faint. The main symptom is sudden death," says Marissa Smith of Fayetteville. It started when Smith's 6 year-old son began passing out, sometimes even in his sleep. She took notice when it happened again at school. "I don't even know how to describe going to the doctor over and over and them telling me nothing was wrong, and going to next appointment and all they did was a simple EKG. If he runs he could die," says Smith.
Andrew was diagnosed with a severe case of Long QT Syndrome, which is a form of SADS, Sudden Arrythmia Death Syndrome. "You hear about football players dropping on the field. It's normally long-qt related."
Smith says even though it is more common than childhood Leukemia, the sometimes overlooked disease, goes misdiagnosed. "Most people don't even know until it's too late. I don't have any other family we thought at the time that had it, until after we got tested." Smith immediately got tested and found out she, along with her brother and two of her three children had QTsyndrome.
Within a year, Smith and her two children, Hannah and Andrew all needed a defibrillator to control their arrythmia. Her best advice for families is to know the symptoms and get an EKG. "The EKG saved our lives, I can't say we wouldn't be here, but what we know after have the defibrillator, I don't think we would be. We could be that statistic." Smith says since their diagnosis, a new breakthrough genetic test can determine which type a person has, but can cost upwards of $15,000.
Smith has since become an active volunteer with the SADS Organization, and has created a website titled "Hope is a Heartbeat Away." Smith says she never even knew SADS existed until a year into their diagnosis. She says SADS has been instrumental in helping with insurance issues their family has run into because Long QT is considered a pre-existing condition. She has planned several fundraisers in schools and at the Catfish Hole in Fayetteville. Smith says the next on is set for February. For more information about SADS and LQTS visit www.LongQTHope.com or SADS.org.
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