Family of 4-Year-Old Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victim Raising Awareness on CPR and AED Training

A family from Indiana is making it their mission to raise awareness about the importance of CPR and AED training after they almost lost their 4-year-old daughter to sudden cardiac arrest.

Vera Uber is happy and grateful to be alive after her medical emergency at home. She has her father, Matt Uber, to thank because he performed CPR on her until help arrived to take her to the hospital and administer more tests and treatments, per Fox 59.

The 4-year-old's sudden cardiac arrest happened in 2021. Doctors said that she has a rare heart arrhythmia syndrome, which means she'll risk having another episode again. Now that they are aware of Vera's risk, the Uber family has been keen on improving their CPR and AED knowledge and skills, as well as educating other families.

CPR Versus AED

Matt and his wife, Erin Uber, usually work with the Carmen Fire Department to conduct training courses for the public. Together with firefighter Brent Schnepp, the Uber family has done CPR and AED classes at Vera's preschool, as well as several high schools in the area.

One year after Vera collapsed, the family gathered 50 people in their community and local church for a refresher course on CPR and AED. Vera has also done informational videos to help the public become aware that cardiac arrest can happen in children.

According to eMedicine Health, CPR, which means Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is a combination of chest compressions done when the heart stops beating and the patient is not breathing.

AED, which means Automated External Defibrillator, entails using a device to deliver an electrical shock to help cardiac arrest patients. The shock, also known as defibrillation, is supposed to assist the heart in normalizing its rhythm.

Ideally, CPR is done first and continuously until the person is breathing. The AED is used afterward to ensure the proper rhythm of the heart.

Prevalence of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Kids

According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, while it is rare for kids to have a sudden cardiac arrest, the condition can still impact anyone at any age even if they are physically fit. In the U.S. this medical emergency has affected over 2,000 kids and has accounted for three to five percent of deaths in patients between the ages of 5 to 19 years old. There are infants who have died from sudden cardiac arrest as well.

Kids at risk of this condition may have structural heart abnormalities or congenital heart disease, such as Vera's heart arrhythmia syndrome. Obese and hypertensive children are at risk as well, especially if they have a family history of heart ailments.

The best chance of survival from this medical episode is prompt attention via CPR or AED. A patient has a higher risk of dying if no such action was administered within minutes of the incident as blood flow to the brain and the heart will stop.