What are the signs of a stroke in a child?
The signs are the same as in adults and come on suddenly: one side of the face drooping, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, slurred or confused speech, sudden loss of vision, severe unsteadiness, or a sudden very severe headache. A seizure with weakness on one side afterwards can also be a stroke.
Call 112 or 108 and go to the nearest hospital emergency department with paediatric care and brain imaging. Do not wait to see if it settles, and do not come to the clinic first. Treatment works best in the first hours.
Stroke in newborns and babies
A stroke around the time of birth often goes unnoticed at first. It may show as seizures in the first days of life, or months later as a baby who clearly uses one hand much more than the other, keeps one hand fisted, or rolls and crawls unevenly.
Babies normally do not show a strong hand preference before about 12 to 18 months. A clear preference earlier than that is worth a neurological review.
Why do children have strokes?
The causes in children differ from adults. They include heart conditions, narrowing or inflammation of blood vessels in the brain, some infections such as chickenpox, blood disorders including sickle cell disease, clotting problems, and head or neck injury. In some children no cause is found.
Finding the cause matters because it decides whether treatment to prevent another stroke is needed. This work usually starts in hospital and continues at follow-up.
Follow-up after a stroke
Recovery in children continues for months and often years, and the needs change as the child grows. Follow-up at the clinic reviews movement, speech, vision, learning, behaviour and sleep, and coordinates physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.
It also covers seizures if they occur, any medicine prescribed to prevent recurrence, and support for school, where some difficulties only become clear as academic demands rise.
Frequently asked questions
Can children really have strokes?
Yes. Stroke is uncommon in children but it does happen, from newborns to teenagers. Because few people expect it, diagnosis is sometimes delayed, which is why knowing the sudden warning signs matters.
Should I bring my child to the clinic if I think they are having a stroke?
No. Call 112 or 108 and go straight to a hospital emergency department that can do brain imaging. The clinic is the right place for follow-up after the emergency care, not for the first hours.
Will my child recover after a stroke?
Many children make a good recovery, and the young brain can adapt well, though some have lasting difficulties with movement, speech, learning or seizures. Regular therapy and follow-up help each child recover as fully as they can, and progress often continues for a long time.
What should I bring to the first follow-up visit?
Bring the hospital discharge summary, scan reports and images on a disc or link, blood test results, the current medicine list and any therapy notes. Videos of how your child moves and plays at home are also useful.
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Book an appointment
Consultations are by appointment at Huda, Sushant Lok 2, Sector 55, Gurugram. Tell us what is worrying you and the clinic will call you back.