Proposal requires all Orange County high school athletes to get ECG

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The Orange County School Board is set to vote on a new proposal for high school athletes. If passed, those students would need to put one more thing on their back to school checklist.

Those students would need to get their heartbeats checked.

If this proposal is passed, each high school student athlete would be required to receive an ECG – known as an electrocardiogram. This would be done in order to assist in diagnosing several heart conditions.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition where death can result from the abrupt loss of heart function. School officials say it is the leading cause of death in student athletics.

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The concern is for the health and safety of all student athletes.

A scholarship program would be established to assist any uninsured or under-insured students.

Under the proposal, student athletes would only need one ECG exam during their four years of high school and would be required prior to the start of this fall. 

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A discussion from school board members last week brought up adding the marching band and ROTC to that ECG requirement. The Orange County School Board is expected to vote on the proposal Wednesday.

Brevard and Osceola counties have similar requirements.