Pediatric stroke is a rare condition affecting one in every 4,000 newborns and an additional 2,000 older children each year. Stroke is a type of blood vessel (cerebrovascular) disorder. Strokes can be categorized as ischemic (caused by insufficient blood flow) and hemorrhagic (caused by bleeding into the brain). When a blood vessel in the brain is injured, the brain tissue around it loses blood supply and suffers injury as well. Treatments and long-term outcome in children are different for each type.

What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric stroke?

• weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• slurred speech or difficulty with language
• trouble balancing or walking
• vision problems, such as double vision or loss of vision
• sudden lethargy or drowsiness
• seizure (unusual rhythmic movement of one or both sides of the body)

What are the risk factors for pediatric stroke?

Causes of stroke in children are different than those in adults. Risk factors include:

• heart disease
• problems with blood vessels supplying the brain
• blood clotting disorders
• sickle cell disease