Stroke is a serious disease related to the brain. Now the question arises that when does stroke occur? When blood circulation in a part of the brain stops, a stroke occurs. If it is not treated immediately, brain cells start dying. And then the risk of stroke increases. There are two types of stroke. Ischemic stroke means obstruction in blood circulation. In the second type of stroke, blood starts clotting inside the brain. However, stroke is a serious disease that occurs in elderly people. But do you know that children are also at risk of stroke? Let us know its causes and symptoms.
How is stroke in children different from stroke in adults?
Stroke is much more common in adults than in children. Risk factors like high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and age, especially after 55, are higher in adults. However, strokes are much less common in children. But they are often linked to different underlying causes. Since stroke symptoms are not visible in children. Therefore its treatment may be delayed or may be a challenge and sometimes symptoms also appear. However, children have better chances of recovery than adults. This is because their brain is still in a developing state, which may allow for better adaptation after injury.
Another leading cause of death in infants is stroke, with the highest risk of stroke occurring during the first year of life and especially the first two months of life. Stroke in an infant is called neonatal stroke and this condition affects approximately one in every 4,000 live births. Stroke can happen even before birth. Symptoms of neonatal stroke are often marked by seizures that may involve only one arm or leg. which is specific to pediatric stroke and is very different from adults who rarely present with seizures as indicators of stroke. According to research, approximately 10% of seizures in full-term newborns are due to the occurrence of neonatal stroke.
Medical conditions increase the chance of stroke in children
Some common underlying conditions that come with this condition include sickle cell disease and congenital or acquired heart problems. Risk factors for this condition may also include head and neck infections, systemic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune disorders, head injuries, and dehydration in children. More than half of all children who have stroke have an identified risk factor. And for many more, at least one or more risk factors may be identified after such an evaluation.
Women who are at risk during pregnancy
Infant stroke is sometimes causally linked to conditions that make the mother ill or pregnancy complications. Some potential risk factors for mothers-to-be include having a history of infertility, a diagnosis called chorioamnionitis infection in the fluid surrounding the unborn baby, premature rupture of membranes, and pregnancy-related preeclampsia. All of these can create an environment that places a newborn at higher risk for stroke. For example, in older children, the risk of stroke decreases after childhood, but may still be experienced especially in the presence of pre-existing conditions.
Also read: Brain will become active by exercising only two days a week, diseases will also stay away.
Common risk factors for stroke in adults include high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, artery disease, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation. However, sickle cell disease presents as a predisposing factor that is associated with cases in adults and children and increases the chances of blood clots forming which can easily lead to loss of blood supply to the brain. Although rare in children, stroke is a significant concern because children’s symptoms, causes, and recovery differ significantly from those of adults.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, you must consult the concerned expert.
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