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Signs of Stroke in Children

Although rare, strokes can occur in children as well as in new and unborn babies. While many of the causes for this are not completely understood, there are several signs to watch for when determining whether your infant or child is having a stroke.

  1. Symptoms of Stroke

    • There are many indications that a stroke has occurred. These symptoms include weakness, clumsiness, numbness, slurred speech, difficulty finding words, a brief loss of vision, and pins and needles on the face, arm or leg on one side of the body.

    Signs of Stroke

    • While children experience very similar symptoms of stroke as adults, some of the signs differ. Children during a stroke can experience seizures, headaches and fever.

    Causes

    • High blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity are a few of the reasons thought to cause strokes in adults. According to Stroke.org strokes in children are caused more often by birth defects, infections, trauma and blood disorders.

    Stroke-related Disabilities

    • Strokes can cause speech and communication problems as well as paralysis or weakness on one side of the body in both children and adults. Cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and epilepsy are a few of the stroke-related disabilities that can occur in children.

    Act FAST

    • Stroke.org gives the following Acronym (FAST) to help determine if your child is experiencing a stroke:

      Face - Get the child to smile. Is one side of her face drooping?

      Arms - Ask the child to raise both arms. Does one drift downward?

      Speech - Have the child repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can the child repeat the sentence correctly?

      Time - If you see any of the symptoms above, seek medical assistance immediately.

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