Some Heart Conditions in Youth Show No Symptoms

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Every Kid. Every Heart. A child can look healthy, feel fine, and still have a serious heart condition. That reality is why National Youth Heart Screening Day, taking place nationwide on Saturday, February 7, 2026, focuses on identifying risk before a life-threatening emergency occurs.

Led by Parent Heart Watch and 24 member organizations and partners, National Youth Heart Screening Day is a coordinated national effort to help families better understand youth heart health and the role heart screenings—including an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)—can play in early detection. Families are encouraged to visit the National Youth Heart Screening Day webpage to find participating screening locations and learn how to register their child.

Many heart conditions associated with sudden cardiac arrest in youth are not identified during a routine physical exam. As a result, families may be unaware of the risk until an emergency happens. Youth heart screenings provide an additional opportunity to detect underlying cardiac conditions that may otherwise go unnoticed. National Youth Heart Screening Day also reinforces the importance of recognizing and responding to a cardiac emergency by calling 911, performing hands-only CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) to increase the chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest.

During National Youth Heart Screening Day 2025, Parent Heart Watch member organizations screened thousands of children and young adults across the country. These screenings identified youth with previously undetected heart conditions who were referred for follow-up care—many of whom had no symptoms and were considered healthy.

"National Youth Heart Screening Day reflects a growing national effort to prioritize youth heart health through awareness and screening," said Martha Lopez-Anderson, Executive Director of Parent Heart Watch. "I wish that I had been afforded the opportunity to have my child's heart screened."

For more information about National Youth Heart Screening Day, including participating organizations and locations, visit: https://parentheartwatch.org/national-youth-heart-screening-day/

About Parent Heart Watch
Parent Heart Watch is the national voice solely dedicated to protecting children and young adults from sudden cardiac arrest and preventable sudden cardiac death through education and advocacy focused on improving prevention and response.

Contact: Martha Lopez-Anderson
Executive Director, Parent Heart Watch
[email protected]
407.399.1039

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SOURCE Parent Heart Watch