"Let Our Children Play!" Congenital Heart Disease Charities Call For The End Of Exclusion From School Sports

Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 13 May 2009 - 0:00 PST

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The Children's Heart Federation (CHF), an alliance of 22 charities that support children and young people with heart defects from birth or acquired in childhood, is using Children's Heart Week (9-17 May 2009) to call for the full inclusion of heart children in PE at school and more opportunities for participation in exercise, games and sports in the community. As heart malformations are the commonest birth defect, affecting one in every 133 babies, every school in the country is likely to have at least one child with congenital heart disease.

Explaining this year's focus on sport, CHF Chief Executive Anne Keatley-Clarke observes, "Children with congenital heart disease have a right to inclusion in sports and exercise. Like other children, sport enables them to grow in skills and confidence, and benefits their long-term physical and mental health. The current practice of sidelining heart children increases their self-consciousness, frustration and isolation from others. This damaging situation is unnecessary and comparatively easy to change. We're here to help policy makers and teachers take the steps to let our children play."

Under the campaign slogan 'Let's get moving for heart children's health', CHF has three main aims during Children's Heart Week:

- To influence policy makers and build support among sports organisations through national level campaigning. CHF is holding a reception at the House of Commons on 14 May for 100 guests, including Gerry Sutcliffe MP, the Minister for Sport and representatives of major sport-promoting organisations. The Federation will release the findings of its 2009 survey into the experiences of children and young people with a heart defect in sport and exercise, which highlight that teachers' lack of knowledge and confidence in how to include children is leaving many on the sidelines, to watch the other children, play board games and even pick up litter from the sports field during PE lessons.

- To demonstrate through planned sports and fun activities how heart children can participate fully alongside other children. The week launches with Little Hearts Matter's Activity Weekend at the Eden Project in Cornwall and culminates with CHF's National Sports Fun Day at Weston Park, Shropshire, on Saturday 16 May.

- To raise awareness among clinicians, members of the public and heart-families of the range of support and services provided across the Children's Heart Federation, from information and advice, to small grants and equipment and a range of activities that bring families together for mutual support.

Anne Keatley-Clarke declares, "The key to improving access to sports and exercise for heart children will be teamwork, between national and local government, schools, parents, healthcare professionals, support groups, sports providers, funders and, of course, the children and young people themselves. More heart-children are living into adolescence and adulthood - let's give them a sporting chance of a good quality of life. Let's get moving for heart children's health!"

Notes

1. We can arrange interviews with parents of children who have been excluded from sport.

2. Any journalist with an interest in the issues surrounding congenital heart disease and sport is invited to the House of Commons Reception on Thursday 14 May, 4-6pm in the Terrace Pavilion. Speakers include Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport, the Inclusion Lead from the Youth Sport Trust, a heart child who will describe the difficulties accessing sports and representatives from the Children's Heart Federation.

3. Congenital heart conditions are the most common birth defect in the UK. Approximately 5000 babies in the UK are born with a heart condition each year, with a further 1000 developing a serious heart problem after birth.

4. The Children`s Heart Federation (CHF) is an umbrella body with 22 member organisations dedicated to helping children with congenital or acquired heart disease and their families in the UK and Ireland. CHF provides information and support through its freephone helpline 0808 808 5000, open Monday to Friday and its website http://www.chfed.org.uk

5. The Survey of Experiences of Sport and Exercise for Children and Young People aged up to 19 with Congenital Heart Disease was conducted by CHF in March and April 2009 through a 16-question questionnaire to parents of heart children. Findings are based on over one hundred responses.

6. Heart Children from across the England will be coming to CHF's National Sports Fun Day at Weston Park, Shifnal, West Midlands from 11am to 3.30pm. This free event is also open to any family that would like to come - whether or not the children have a health problem. The events, including tag rugby, five-a-side football, giant egg and spoon and other traditional fun races and circus skills workshops have been specially designed to enable heart-children to play alongside their able-bodied peers. (See http://www.weston-park.com/events/childrens-charity-sports-dayand http://www.chfed.org.uk/news/sports_survey/family_sports_day)

7. Little Hearts Matter is a member of the Children's Heart Federation. The charity offers support and information, and raises awareness of those affected when a child has only half a heart, due to conditions such as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Pulmonary Atresia, Tricuspid Atresia or Double Inlet Ventricle. (See http://www.lhm.org.uk/)

8. ECHO (Evelina Children's Heart Organisation) is holding an information and awareness day in Central Hall, St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London on Thursday 14 May. (See http://www.echo-evelina.org.uk/)

9. The number of adults with congenital heart disease is increasing significantly and possibly by as much as 10% per year (all conditions) Adult Congenital Heart Disease A commissioning guide for services for young people and Grown Ups with Congenital Heart Disease (GUCH) (Department of Health, May 2006)

Source
Children's Heart Federation

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