Protecting Young Brains: Understanding Stroke in Children

Dr. Sameeta Mercy Prabhu, Consultant - Paediatric Neurology, Rainbow Children’s Hospital

When we think of stroke, we usually imagine it affecting older adults — but children, even newborns, can have strokes too. Paediatric stroke affects nearly 1 in every 2,000 children, and timely recognition makes all the difference.

What Is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted, leading to injury or death of brain cells. This can happen because of:

• A blocked blood vessel (ischemic stroke)
• A burst blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke)

Both types can cause serious complications if not identified early.

Recognizing the Warning Signs

Watch out for:

• Sudden weakness of face, arm, or leg (often one-sided)
• Slurred or unclear speech
• Sudden vision problems
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Persistent severe headache
• Sudden behavioural change, excessive irritability, or inconsolable crying in infants
• Seizures

If you notice these symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately.

Why Do Strokes Happen in Children?

Unlike adults, strokes in children are rarely due to lifestyle factors like hypertension or high cholesterol.

Common causes include:

• Heart disease or congenital heart defects
• Blood and blood vessel disorders (like sickle cell disease)
• Infections such as meningitis
• Dehydration or head and neck trauma
• Genetic or metabolic disorders in some cases

How Is It Diagnosed?

Quick and accurate diagnosis is essential:

• MRI or CT scans to detect brain injury
• Blood tests to look for clotting or infection
• Echocardiogram (ECHO) to check the heart
• Lumbar puncture or genetic tests when metabolic or inherited causes are suspected

Treatment Approach

Treatment focuses on identifying and managing the underlying cause:

• Supportive care in the acute phase
• Blood thinners (like heparin, warfarin, or aspirin) in select cases
• Treatment of infections or metabolic causes
• Surgery (e.g., thrombectomy or decompression) if required

Recovery and the Power of Neuroplasticity

Children’s brains are incredibly adaptable — a concept known as neuroplasticity.

With early physiotherapy and rehabilitation, even newborns can regain lost functions and develop new neural pathways.

The earlier therapy starts, the better the brain’s ability to reorganize and recover.

Can Paediatric Stroke Be Prevented?

Unlike adults, who have modifiable risk factors like obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, and smoking — which can be managed to prevent stroke — children’s strokes usually occur due to non-modifiable or structural causes.

Therefore, the first stroke in a child cannot be prevented, as there are no lifestyle measures or interventions that can be taken in advance.

However, once the underlying cause is identified, steps can be taken to prevent a second or recurrent stroke through targeted treatment and monitoring.

The Takeaway

Paediatric stroke is not as rare as once thought — but recovery is possible with early recognition, diagnosis, and rehabilitation.

By spreading awareness, we can help more children get timely care and live healthy, fulfilling lives.

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