healthydailymail.com According to the National Stroke Association, stroke affects 6 in every 100,000 children in the US. It is also one of the 10 leading causes of death among children in the country.
The rate of stroke is much higher in adults than children. Every year, more than 795,000 men and women suffer a stroke and around 130,000 die from the condition. However, studies have found stroke rates are on the rise in children in the US.
In 2011, a study published in the Annals of Neurology reported a 51% increase in ischemic stroke incidence among boys aged 5-14 from the period 1995-96 to 2007-08, while girls aged 5-14 saw a 3% rise in ischemic stroke in the same period.
In many ways, stroke in children - commonly referred to as pediatric stroke - can present more challenges than stroke in adults.
The early signs of stroke in children are much more subtle than in adults, meaning they often go unrecognized. According to the International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke (IAPS), newborns who suffer stroke may not even begin to show any symptoms until the age of 4-8 months.
What is more, because parents, caregivers and even health care professionals do not often associate stroke with children, it may be ruled out as a possibility. As a result, many children fail to receive adequate treatment.
A 2014 study conducted by Dr. Mark Mackay, director of the Children's Stroke Program at the Royal Children's Hospital and Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues found that only half of interviewed parents whose children suffered stroke thought their child's symptoms were serious enough to call 911, while 21% of parents adopted a "wait-and-see" approach. What is more, only 36% considered stroke as a possible cause of their child's symptoms.
As with most health conditions, early treatment for stroke is key. Unfortunately, around 20-40% of children die after a stroke, and of those who do survive, around 50-80% will have lifelong neurological problems, such a partial or total paralysis.
May is American Stroke Awareness Month. In this Spotlight, we investigate the risk factors for pediatric stroke, the signs and symptoms to look out for, as well as the treatment options for the condition.
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