Children have strokes for many reasons that are different from adults. This video will take you through an example of a child having a suspected stroke and the steps to diagnose and treat the condition.
This video is provided for general information only. It does not replace a diagnosis or medical advice from a healthcare professional who has examined your child and understands their unique needs. Please speak with your doctor to check if the content is suitable for your situation.
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VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
This is Zara. Zara is 8 years old. For the last few days she has had a runny nose but she has still been well enough to go to school. In gym class, Zara was playing soccer and suddenly fell to the floor. She tried to stand back up but was unable to move her left arm and leg and her teacher noticed that the left side of her face was drooping. Her teachers quickly called 911 and she was taken to SickKids.
Doctors assess the situation. The doctors ordered a picture of her brain. This is called a brain MRI. MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It is safe, painless and doesn't use radiation. To get a good picture, Zara had to lie still. Zara's MRI showed that she had an arterial ischemic stroke or AIS for short. An arterial ischemic stroke occurs when the blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked, usually because of a clot in the blood vessels called arteries that supply nutrients and oxygen to the brain. This causes damage to the brain.
Children have strokes for reasons that are very different than adults. Some of these include infection, heart conditions, abnormality with the blood vessels in the brain and changes in the blood that increase the risk of clotting such as sickle cell disease and iron deficiency anemia.
Zara was treated by a team of health-care professionals who have expertise in treating children with stroke, including neurologists, blood specialists (or hematologists), heart doctors (or cardiologists), neurosurgeons, nurses, occupational speech physiotherapists and a neuropsychologist.
In the meantime, Zara was placed on medication to make the blood less likely to clot and prevent another stroke from happening. Fortunately, a child's brain is adaptable and can respond to a stroke different than an adult brain. This is called neuroplasticity. Depending on the location of the stroke, Zara could have some challenges with weakness on one side of her body, language skills, seizures, vision or learning, and behavior.
Because of her stroke, Zara could be at an increased risk of challenges with emotional regulation such as anxiety or depression. All of Zara's medical tests came back normal, which can often be the case and we do not find an explanation for why the stroke happened.
Zara will remain connected with the stroke team after she goes home from the hospital and receive medication that will help prevent clots and another stroke. She may also receive rehabilitation therapy such as occupational speech or physical therapy that will help her regain strength and skills that may have been affected by the stroke. With these supports in place, Zara could return to school and participate in gym class again.
Zara's teachers acted quickly when they saw her arm and leg weakness and facial droop. This is important for early stroke recognition and treatment. If you recognize any of the following signs, think FAST. F for face drooping, A for arm weakness, S for slurred speech, T for time to call 911. Please visit the AboutKidsHealth website and search childhood stroke to learn more.
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