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Infant Stroke Recovery

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when either the brain's blood flow is blocked (ischemic stroke) or when one the brain's blood vessels burst (hemorrhagic stroke). If the brain's cells are deprived to oxygen for too long or if hemorrhaging damages the cells, the cells can die. When strokes are treated early, brain cells can be saved and long-term damage is minimal. Infants and children are more likely to heal from a stroke than an adult, but may still face challenges resulting from the stroke.

  1. Statistics

    • According to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, about six out of every 100,000 children have a stroke each year. Also, about 20 to 35 percent of those children who have had a stroke will have another stroke. In addition, about two-thirds of all children who have a stroke will suffer complications such as seizures, physical disabilities and learning disabilities.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of a stroke may include vomiting, facial flushing, slow pulse, blurry vision, facial droopiness, drooling, different sized pupils, paralysis, unconsciousness and seizures. If parents notice these symptoms in their infant, they should seek medication attention right away. A stroke can be diagnosed using blood tests, MRI scans, CT scans and a Doppler ultrasound.

    Causes

    • Some conditions that may result in infant strokes include arteiovenous malformation, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, polycythemia, sickle cell anemia, encephalitis, meningitis, chicken pox, vasculitis, moya-moya syndrome, congenital heart disease and other birth defects. Also, infants born prematurely or with cocaine, crack or amphetamines in their systems are at risk of having strokes.

    Complications

    • Severe or reoccurring strokes can result in complications such as cerebral palsy epilepsy, hemiplegia, hemiparesis, hypotonia, mental retardation, speech impairment and vision impairment. Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects muscle control. Hemiplegia is a condition that occurs when one side of the body is paralyzed. Hypotonia is a condition that occurs when an infant has extremely low muscle tone.

    Time Frame

    • According to a study conducted by the National Health Institutes, most of an infant's functional stroke recovery occurs within two to three months following the stroke. However, children may need therapies for years to come to maintain progress and to continue to progress.

    Stroke Therapies

    • Therapies that may help an infant recover from strokes as they get older include aquatic therapy, hippotherapy (riding horses), massage therapy, music therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Also, botox injections may help some patients with stroke-related damage.

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