According to the American Heart Association, over 450,000 adults die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. There are no statistics kept on the number of children who die each year, but it obviously happens. This is exactly the situation the Levine family found themselves in almost three years ago as their 9-year-old son, Robbie, died running bases at Little League practice in Merrick, New York.
As Robbie’s dad and coach, Craig Levine, watched his son run the bases and then collapse as he got to home plate. Levine ran to his son, and noticing he didn’t have a pulse, began to administer CPR. It took nearly seven minutes for an ambulance to arrive. Robbie was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital.
Turning Tragedy into Action
Jill Levine found herself wondering how a previously healthy boy’s heart could simply stop. Rather than succumbing to grief, and with two other young children to raise, Levine turned to raising awareness about the need for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be on-hand during youth sports. While there are more defibrillators in schools than there used to be, there are not many that are brought to youth sport practice and games. The Levine family aims to change this though the Robbie Levine Foundation.
AED
The AED is a portable device that diagnoses life threatening cardiac problems, such as arrhythmia, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular defibrillation. Through defibrillation, or stunning the heart to try to get it to reestablish an effective rhythm, the person being treated may have a better chance of survival than with CPR. It is important that use of an AED is done quickly before brain damage or death occur.
AEDs are designed to be used by people who are not emergency personnel, such as teachers, coaches, parents, or others where AEDs may be present. Their use is taught in many CPR, first aid, basic life support, and first responder classes. Because their use is fairly simple, parents like the Levines, would like to see them present in more places.
The placement of AEDs is as important as learning to use them. Government buildings, universities, schools, airports, casinos, shopping centers, and sport stadiums have them. However, making them available to more people in more places is what is needed. Also, because many may be concerned about being held liable if the AED doesn’t work or if the victim dies, there is something called “good faith” use in most states, and is covered under Good Samaritan laws. Finally, the risks of using an AED are minimal. Shock to the operator or others touching the victim can occur, as well as skin burns from electrodes, blood clots, and abnormal rhythms are a possibility. Still, these seem small potatoes when using one in a timely manner is the difference between life or death.
If you believe a loved one could have been saved through the use of an AED, and one was not available, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.
