Pediatric stroke
Before a stroke, any person experiences a disruption of the central nervous system. However, there are other signs by which you can determine that a child may encounter a similar problem in the future. The fact is that in children this disease manifests itself a little differently.
You also need to be prepared to take emergency measures to help your baby. It is worth considering that today stroke in children, the causes of which can be very different, is becoming more common. This is usually explained by poor nutrition and environment. Therefore, it is important to monitor the functioning of the baby’s cardiovascular system.
If a child has a stroke, then in this case we are talking about an acute circulatory disorder, which causes the baby to have serious problems with the nervous system. Based on this, there are several varieties of this unpleasant condition.
“You, mom, actually found something to tell!”
“I first searched for rehabilitation for Ilya on the Internet,” says Anna. – The free rehabilitation center offers five minutes of massage, that’s all. And we constantly need a massage therapist, a physical therapy teacher, and a speech therapist. After all, Ilya not only has to develop new skills, but he also has to maintain what he has.”
“I lift a stick, squat and can climb onto a step,” Ilya intervenes in a serious conversation with a journalist and pulls out a step platform from under the bed, as if for aerobics. - No problem!" But he immediately collapses: “That’s it, I can’t take it anymore, I’m tired.”
Anna says that Ilya started talking at the age of three, and started walking when he was three and a half. And yet, only recently have I started walking up the stairs like an adult, rather than putting both feet on each step like a toddler. But my left hand still doesn’t work at all.
There was a period when Ilya walked on his toes all the time.
The orthopedist even advised cutting his Achilles tendon, but in the end, mother and son strained his leg through training. They just deliberately stood with their legs supported and cried.
“On what other toes? You, mom, actually found something to tell, that’s when it happened!” - Ilya drawls, clearly repeating his father’s intonation. And then he pulls out a guitar and begins to sing, plucking the strings with one right hand.
“Okay, we have now found rehabilitation, which we have in Noginsk - “Development without barriers,” continues the mother. — What I like about them is that as a child, they finally began to study comprehensively. There was a period when it was actively growing. At this time we were developing the leg. Then the massage therapist worked on the hand, and at the same time the speech therapist gave us a letter. Ilya, of course, is lagging behind, but now he has begun to maintain his balance.”
Now the mother closely monitors her son’s activities. She also provides him with motivation. He may say, for example: “If you don’t do the exercises, you won’t watch the cartoon.” And Ilya tries, he does.
Hemorrhagic
This type of stroke occurs most often in young children. Hemorrhagic stroke involves the rupture of blood vessels with their subsequent hemorrhage into adjacent tissues. Because of this, a hematoma appears, which puts pressure on the tissue.
In this condition, neuron death often occurs. And if blood breaks into the ventricles of the brain, then in this case the cavity is filled with blood.
Ischemic
This type of stroke in a child is much less common. In this case, we are talking about blockage of the vessel or its contraction. Against the background of such a problem, the work of neurons is disrupted or their work completely stops. At the first stage of ischemic stroke in children, the exchange of electrolytes stops. This leads to a stop in the transmission of nerve impulses. Accordingly, nerve cells cease to perform their main function. If a child suffers from lack of blood circulation, this leads to oxygen starvation and the baby’s brain does not receive nutrients. Since the remaining waste products are not removed from the body, this leads to so-called cell poisoning. It is at this moment that cerebral ischemia occurs.
Within 3 minutes, it can happen that the neurons in the brain can completely die. If an entire group of cells dies, this phenomenon is called necrosis. In addition to neurons, nerve cells that are too close to the affected areas can also be damaged in this process.
However, most often with such a stroke in a child, the cells do not die, but completely stop conducting nerve impulses.
Is it possible to prevent the disease?
The heart and brain suffer from vascular pathologies caused by poor lifestyle and bad habits.
Increasingly, young patients find themselves in hospital beds, paying insufficient attention to their health, believing that a young body can withstand everything.
To prevent a stroke you need to:
- give up cigarettes and alcoholic beverages;
- minimize the use of hormonal drugs;
- eat less fatty foods;
- get rid of migraines in a timely manner;
- keep your blood pressure under control (at what blood pressure is a stroke possible?);
- take only medications prescribed by a doctor;
- undergo a preventive medical examination once a year.
Intrauterine or perinatal
The baby may suffer from this stroke even before birth. However, the complications of such a phenomenon can cause harm for the rest of the child’s life. Most often this happens to premature babies. These children are often diagnosed with developmental disorders. In some situations, paralysis occurs.
If a child is born much prematurely, then there is a high risk of mental disorders from which he will suffer in the future. In addition, when talking about this type of stroke, it is worth paying attention to the baby’s weight. If he was born very small (less than 1 kg), then with one hundred percent probability we can assume that he had a stroke in the womb.
Also, a similar nuisance can occur if intoxication of the body has been recorded. This can happen if the mother leads an unhealthy lifestyle when she is pregnant. If a woman drinks alcohol, smokes or even uses drugs, then there is a high risk of becoming intoxicated and harming the unborn baby.
Those who are taking medications are not immune from this type of stroke. Ladies who, during their work, are in close proximity to toxins also need to be careful. They also have a destructive effect on the fetus.
How does a pediatric stroke differ from an adult stroke?
If we talk about the distinctive features of this pathology, then first of all it is worth paying attention to the fact that, when it comes to children, then most often parents note neurological problems. In adults, the lesions usually affect the brain.
It is worth noting that stroke in children under one year of age, as a rule, does not have obvious manifestations. It is because of this that it is almost impossible to diagnose pathology. At an older age in children, the signs of stroke also appear less clearly. Sometimes brain damage occurs as a consequence of a micro-stroke or heart attack. In this case, the child’s symptoms will also be mild.
In order to cure a child and protect him from problems in the future, completely different treatment methods will be required. In this case, the same therapy that is used for adults will not work.
It often happens that children experience much more serious complications. On the other hand, in childhood, brain neurons work much better than in adults. With minor tissue damage, you can count on a fairly quick recovery. However, everything depends on numerous factors.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation activities in children should begin as early as possible. Therefore, after assessing all neurological problems and the severity of the little patient’s condition, the possibility of conducting an early rehabilitation course is considered. Such activities are carried out according to an individual plan, first in specialized institutions, and then at home. In parallel with this, parents are privy to all the nuances of the rehabilitation program so that they can provide psychological support to the child at all stages.
Causes of stroke in children
If we talk about adults, then most often they encounter this problem against the background of atherosclerosis of the arteries or high blood pressure. In children, the occurrence of stroke is due to completely different reasons. In this case, there are many options. For example, if we are talking about a hemorrhagic stroke in a child, then doctors most often suspect injury to the blood vessels in the head. This could happen in the womb or during birth if the baby was injured. In rare situations, babies receive injuries to the cervical spine during birth.
Also, hemorrhagic stroke can develop against the background of:
- Arterial aneurysm.
- Vitamin deficiency (especially ascorbic acid).
- Intoxication of the brain due to various infections or under the influence of toxins.
- Brain tumor.
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs if the mother does not monitor her lifestyle during pregnancy.
- Pathologies of the hematopoietic system.
- Reduced blood clotting.
- Blood cancer.
- Disorders of hemoglobin synthesis.
- Anemia and other pathologies.
If we are talking about ischemic stroke in a child, then in this case this can happen against the background of:
- Various infections (chickenpox, meningitis, encephalitis, etc.).
- Congenital heart pathologies.
- Infections of the vascular system.
- Endocrine pathologies (diabetes mellitus, deformation of blood vessels and other ailments).
If a stroke occurred in a child at a perinatal or very young age, then in this case it is worth paying attention to the pathologies that the mother might have had. While carrying the baby, she could suffer from swelling of the legs, prenatal leakage of amniotic fluid, and difficult labor.
Prevention
To avoid a stroke, it is necessary to regularly examine the child for diseases of the heart, blood and blood vessels. This will make it possible to timely diagnose a predisposition to stroke and prevent its occurrence. To prevent recurrent manifestations, the doctor may prescribe medications with acetylsalicylic acid and heparin.
An important point is the child’s lifestyle and diet.
It is worth regulating his physical activity depending on his state of health, devoting more time to walking in the fresh air, monitoring his sleep and wakefulness: rest should be at least 8 hours daily. A diet based on the absence of fatty foods also helps prevent strokes.
Symptoms of stroke in children
There are several signs that you should definitely pay attention to. For example, if a child has a squint or moves his eyes too quickly, this may be the first sign of a stroke. It is also worth paying attention to whether he suffers from unstable body temperature, tremors of the limbs, convulsions, hypertonicity or, conversely, hypotonicity of the muscles, disturbances of autonomic functions in the body, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, and hearing problems.
Children also often experience severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. If we are talking about an infant, then identifying pathology is much more difficult, but in this case it is worth paying attention to several points.
If the baby constantly strains his facial muscles, often cries, changes his voice or reacts sharply to small stimuli (sound, light, etc.), or strongly strains his neck muscles, this means that you need to be more attentive to his condition.
Diagnostics
First of all, you need to pay attention to the child’s behavior. If he seems strange to his parents, you need to ask him to say some phrase, smile or perform some action (for example, touch his nose). If this causes problems for him, then he should immediately contact a specialist who will conduct the appropriate research.
First, a general blood test is performed. If we are talking about a hemorrhagic stroke, then in this case the level of leukocytes will be increased. After this, a coagulogram is performed. Thanks to the data obtained, it will be possible to clarify whether the baby has problems with blood clotting. Additionally, a spinal tap may be required.
An MRI of the child's brain is also performed. Based on the data obtained, the specialist will be able to confirm or refute the diagnosis without any problems. Additionally, a CT scan may be performed. However, such studies are not available in all regions. Therefore, more often parents can only rely on an MRI of the child’s brain.
How to help your baby
If parents note at least one sign of a stroke in their child, then they should immediately contact emergency doctors. However, even before their arrival, it is very important to provide first aid for a stroke at home. To do this, it is necessary to perform a number of measures that will help improve the baby’s condition.
First, you need to lay him face up on the bed and bend his knees. You should also raise the baby's head. You need to open the windows, unbutton clothes and provide the child with a flow of fresh air. If your baby begins to vomit, you should immediately turn your head to the side to prevent him from choking.
Before doctors arrive, first aid for a stroke at home includes preparation for resuscitation measures. To do this, it is recommended to remove all metal objects from it and wait for the doctors to arrive.
The fight for knowledge
It’s still not easy for Ilya to study. At nine years old, he is in first grade, mastering the eighth grade program. True, from home.
“The correctional school is located fifteen kilometers from home. There are fifteen people in the class. When we started studying, Ilya could sit quietly for about twenty minutes. Now, according to the teacher, he can endure a lesson for forty minutes. But there are three lessons at school. That's why I haven't decided to send him to class yet. The teacher comes to our house,” Anna clarifies.
“Teacher Anastasia Alexandrovna,” Ilya adds busily. – We read and write with her. Have you seen the series “Dog”?”
Ilya masters the educational material unevenly. Mathematics goes back and forth, writing and reading are worse, but he can’t even see a textbook on the world around him, he doesn’t like this subject so much. The seasons are difficult for him, he doesn’t recognize animals well – maybe that’s why he doesn’t like this subject.
The family's plans for Ilya's future are modest.
“I certainly don’t hope that he will graduate from college. I would be able to read, count and look after myself. But you can’t imagine how responsive and grateful he is.”
Treatment
If we are talking about a childhood stroke, then in this case one cannot count on a quick relief from the pathology. The child is forced to spend the first time after the attack in intensive care, only after that he will be transferred to the neurological department.
In order to recover from the illness faster, it is recommended to undergo recovery in a special rehabilitation center. It is best to do this in large cities of the Russian Federation. Since such establishments have all the necessary equipment. After the child undergoes rehabilitation after a stroke in Moscow or another city, he is registered with a pediatrician and neurologist.
Treatment methods directly depend on the specific type of stroke. For example, if we are talking about an ischemic attack, then in this case thrombolytic therapy is often performed. Hemorrhagic stroke requires the use of hemostatic drugs.
General information
The blood entering the brain provides the nutrients and oxygen necessary for the smooth and “correct” functioning of this organ. As a result of a stroke, the brain does not receive vital substances, resulting in damage to some of its parts.
Pediatric strokes according to the period of origin are divided into:
- perinatal or intrauterine;
- strokes that occurred in the newborn phase;
- PMK under 18 years of age.
Treatment and diagnosis vary depending on the age group. The most common are considered to be cerebrovascular accidents (cerebral circulatory disorders) of the first two age groups: statistics show the probability of this event is 1 in 4,000 thousand children born. The latter group has a rate of 1 case per 100,000 people. The severity of a childhood stroke is determined by its location in the brain.
Consequences
If a child suffers from an attack, there is a high probability that he may die or at least remain disabled. 10% of children who have had a stroke require daily care from their parents. Even if the child has undergone rehabilitation after a stroke in Moscow or any other city, there is always a risk of relapse.
There is a risk that the baby will have neurological problems. He may have problems with hearing, vision, motor activity, etc. Children often develop cerebral palsy.
