Did you know that children can have strokes? Did you realize that they can strike infants, and even fetuses still in the womb?
If that’s news to you, you’re not alone! A lot of medical personnel are in the dark about childhood strokes as well, and the lack of awareness is a major obstacle to improving kids’ treatment and recovery. Recognizing strokes right away – and knowing what to do about them – is crucial in limiting the damage they can do to the rest of a child’s life.
Would you recognize the signs of a stroke in your child? And if you did, would you know where to take her to receive the best possible treatment in those first critical minutes?
Kids Who Have the Following Conditions Have a Higher Risk of Stroke:
*Sickle Cell Anemia
*Heart Defects
*Blood Disorders
*Meningitis
*High Blood Pressure
*Dehydration
*Chicken Pox – risk of stroke is higher in the time period after having chicken box
But 25% of children who have strokes fall into no known risk group.
What To Watch Out For In Children:
*Some Possible Signs of Stroke in Children
Onset of a stroke in a child may be marked by:
*Headache
*Difficulty with vision / blurred vision
*Weakness on one side (arm or leg)
*One side of body feels asleep
*Slurred speech/difficulty speaking
*Child’s face may (but may not) droop to one side
What To Watch Out For In Infants :The signs of stroke in an infant are harder to detect because the baby can’t tell you what’s wrong.
-Some Possible Signs of Stroke IN PROGRESS In Infants
*Crankier Than Usual
*Sleepier Than Usual
*Not Feeding Well
These symptoms are simply an indication that something may be physically wrong, and the answer may not be stroke; however, if the symptoms do appear, a parent can help a doctor with a diagnosis by simply RAISING THE POSSIBILITY of stroke, as a diagnosis the doctor might not have thought of, and should consider.
**Some Possible Signs of PAST STROKE In Infants (for example: strokes “in utero” – that is, before the baby was born):
*Less Use Of One Side of the Body (Arm or Leg)
*Hand Constantly Clenched In Fist
*Dragging One Leg Behind
Stroke in an infant (or in utero) may not be recognizable for months – until someone notices the child favoring one side, or child is late in starting to crawl or walk
Recognising the symptoms of a stroke in children early is key to avoiding further brain injury, it has been claimed.
Many strokes in children go unrecognised when they first occur, but are capable of repeating within a month, according to researchers from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
As a result, children do not often receive the necessary treatment to prevent further brain injury caused by this reoccurrence.
*What To Do If A Child Is Having A Stroke In Front of You ?
Get to the hospital immediately – IF POSSIBLE, A PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY ROOM! (Or, if the child is a teenager and there is no nearby pediatric emergency room, a stroke center can also be a good choice)
SPEAK UP TO THE DOCTORS ABOUT THE SIGNS & ABOUT YOUR SUSPICION OF STROKE!
Consider pressing for an MRI, or, in the case of a teen, a transfer to a stroke center
Doctors can:
Get an MRI, which may help find out what’s causing the stroke
Provide treatment appropriate to the cause, which can differ in different cases.
To Help Diagnose a Stroke:
F - FACE – face sagging to one side?
A - ARMS – can person raise both?
S - SPEECH – can person repeat a simple sentence
T - TIME – time is of the essence!
GET THEM TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM! TELL THEM YOU SUSPECT STROKE!
Remember: SPEED COUNTS in dealing with ALL strokes, pediatric or adult!
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