Video games could trigger lethal heart attacks in kids – is your child at risk?
VIDEO games could trigger heart attacks in children with undiagnosed heart issues, new research has revealed.
Some kids are born with irregular heart rhythm, otherwise known as an arrhythmia, and don't even find out unless they get tested.
Around two million people in the UK live with the condition, with around a quarter of those unaware they have the abnormality.
Most people with an abnormal heart rhythm can lead a normal life if it is properly diagnosed.
However, is some cases arrhythmias can cause serious and even potentially fatal symptoms.
Australian experts have said the adrenalin surge from the excitement of playing a game can prove lethal to kids with this condition.
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They found that multiplayer war games were the most dangerous as they sparked the most heart attacks in kids.
Scientists found kids with family members who have heart issues were more at risk of a fatal attack while gaming.
Parents or carers who know thee are heart problems in the family or know their child has an irregular heart rhythm should think about safety precautions around gaming, the experts said.
The research from the The Heart Center for Children, looked at cases of children who passed out while playing video games.
The scientists found the results shocking and stressed the importance of the study in preventing heart attacks in children.
Co-investigator Doctor Christian Turner, of Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Sydney said: "We already know that some children have heart conditions that can put them at risk when playing competitive sports.
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"But we were shocked to discover that some patients were having life-threatening blackouts during video gaming."
He added: "Video gaming was something I previously thought would be an alternative 'safe activity.'
"This is a really important discovery. We need to ensure everyone knows how important it is to get checked out when someone has had a blacking out episode in these circumstances."
"Video gaming was something I previously thought would be an alternative 'safe activity.' This is a really important discovery. We need to ensure everyone knows how important it is to get checked out," Dr Christian said.
Dr Jonathan Skinner, the study’s co-author, said he was “staggered” to see how widespread the issue is and that it has led to some children dying.
“All of the collaborators are keen to publicise this phenomenon so our colleagues across the globe can recognise it and protect these children and their families,” he added.
The findings are published in the journal Heart Rhythm.
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Previously, a study found that video gaming does not harm social development in boys — but girls who play struggle to make friends.
However, all kids aged eight to ten who find it hard to make friends are more likely to game more than two years later.
