Best Child Brain Stroke Treatment in Jaipur, Rajasthan

Many of us think that strokes only happen in adults, especially older adults. Stroke or cerebrovascular accident is not as common in children as in adults, but is often not recognized in time and can lead to significant problems for the child. Children with stroke present with different signs and symptoms as compare to adults and are unable to communicate their problem effectively. Stroke can happen in children of all ages, including newborn babies.

What is stroke?

Stroke is a neurological injury caused by the occlusion or rupture of cerebral blood vessels. Ischemic stroke is caused due to blockage of the blood vessels, while haemorrhagic stroke is caused due to bleeding from a blood vessel into the brain.

Causes of stroke in children

What Causes Strokes?

Finding the cause of a stroke in a child can be hard. Strokes in adults often happen because of high blood pressure, diabetes, or atherosclerosis. The risk factors for stroke in children are different

Strokes in children can occur due to:

• lack of oxygen during birth
• blood disorders such as sickle cell disease
• injury of malformation of a blood vessel
• dehydration
• genetic disorders like Moyamoya disease, a rare disease that affects arteries in the brain
• an infection, such as meningitis or chickenpox
• problems that affect a mother during pregnancy can cause a baby to have an ischemic stroke before or after birth
• head injury
• an aneurysm (weakness in an artery wall)
• diseases that affect blood clotting
• Congenital heart disorders
• Genetic mutations

Signs and symptoms of Stroke

Babies who have a perinatal stroke often don’t show any signs of it until months or years later.

Signs of a stroke in infants:

• seizures in one area of the body, such as an arm or a leg
• trouble breathing or pauses in breathing (apnea)
• early preference for use of one hand over the other
• developmental delays, such as rolling over and crawling later than usual
• Difficulty in feeding

Signs of stroke in older children

• Seizures
• Headache
• Nausea/vomiting
• Sudden paralysis or weakness on one side of the body or face
• Language or speech changes, such as slurring
• Difficulty chewing and eating
• vision problems, such as blurred or double vision
• tightness or restricted movement in the arms and legs
• memory loss
• sudden mood or behavioral changes

Diagnosis of Stroke

Diagnosing a stroke in a child may need several tests such as

• MRI or CT scan of the brain. An MRI or CT of the blood vessesls, called an angiogram may also be neede
• Blood tests
• Lumbar Puncture
• EEG
• Certain tests such as blood tests, 2D ECHO may be needed to find the cause of stroke

Treatment

Treatment for a stroke is based on the child’s age, signs and symptoms, cause of stroke, and the involvement of the brain. Many medicines may be needed to treat the manifestations of stroke.

Since stroke may cause long-term problems for the child, these children may need therapy and rehabilitation for a long period.