The importance of recognizing that a stroke can happen among children of all ages.
Quite possibly, the last time you heard a stroke story, it didn’t involve a healthy-seeming newborn or a fifth-grader who went to the nurse’s office with dizziness and a headache. It most often wasn’t of a teenager who spent a “normal” day at school, only later in the evening to experience numbness down one side of their body. When you’ve never heard about stroke in children, it becomes easy to assume it must be very rare. Yet stories like these are real and are shared every day.
For over the last two years, Pediatric Stroke Warriors has continued to strengthen communities by providing support to families and promoting advocacy, public awareness and education of current resources related to stroke in children. Although awareness and education continues to overall increase, the most common misconception about stroke that many organizations encounter regularly , is that it only impacts older people.
For over the last two years, Pediatric Stroke Warriors has continued to strengthen communities by providing support to families and promoting advocacy, public awareness and education of current resources related to stroke in children. Although awareness and education continues to overall increase, the most common misconception about stroke that many organizations encounter regularly , is that it only impacts older people.
Consider these facts:
- Stroke occurs at the highest rate in infants younger than 1 month of age, effecting 1-2000 live births each year and nearly 1 per 20,000 children through age 18.
- Stroke is as common as brain tumors in the pediatric population.
- Stroke is one of the top ten causes of death for children.
- Studies have found that in the US, it can often take longer than 24 hours to diagnose stroke in children. Which is valuable time missed when every minute matters. Quick, proper treatment is critical to saving a child’s life and minimizing brain damage and lasting effects.
Despite these published findings, pediatric stroke still tends to fall off the radar. It is not only parents who may overlook the signs and symptoms of pediatric stroke - doctors can too. Many children with stroke symptoms are misdiagnosed with more common conditions that mimic stroke, such as migraines, epilepsy or viral illnesses. For as long as the viewpoint continues to be that stroke in children is rare, the awareness is not acted on.
Adults and children are not the same...
While you may know how to recognize that an adult is having a stroke, the signs and symptoms can differ in children. As can the risk factors for pediatric stroke. The reality that there are many more cases of stroke in adults, does not dismiss the fact that the recognition of stroke in children is just as important and should be talked about.
The question most often asked, "What can be done to keep pediatric stroke on the radar?" The simplest response is in getting informed and sharing what you know. While it may not be your child, chances are, it will be someone’s child because the statistics are real. Moving away from “rare” to educated, increases the chances of a child receiving a proper diagnosis and quicker treatment.
Pediatric Stroke Warriors encourages anyone to reach out, gain knowledge and to always consider the possibility of stroke no matter what a person’s age.
Learn more about our BRAVE Initiative in Building Resources and Vital Education.
The question most often asked, "What can be done to keep pediatric stroke on the radar?" The simplest response is in getting informed and sharing what you know. While it may not be your child, chances are, it will be someone’s child because the statistics are real. Moving away from “rare” to educated, increases the chances of a child receiving a proper diagnosis and quicker treatment.
Pediatric Stroke Warriors encourages anyone to reach out, gain knowledge and to always consider the possibility of stroke no matter what a person’s age.
Learn more about our BRAVE Initiative in Building Resources and Vital Education.
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