Stroke is a serious illness related to the brain. Now the question arises: when does a stroke occur? When blood flow to part of the brain stops, a stroke occurs. If the disease is not treated immediately, brain cells begin to die. And then the risk of stroke increases. There are two types of stroke. Ischemic stroke means obstruction of blood flow. In the second type of stroke, blood begins to clot inside the brain. However, stroke is a serious illness that occurs in older people. But did 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?
Strokes are much more common in adults than in children. Risk factors such as 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 the symptoms of a stroke are not visible in children. Therefore, its treatment may be delayed or may pose a challenge and sometimes symptoms also appear. However, children have a better chance of recovery than adults. Indeed, their brain is still in a state of development, which could allow better adaptation after an injury.
Stroke is another major cause of death in infants, with the risk of stroke being highest during the first year of life and especially during the first two months of life. Stroke in an infant is called neonatal stroke and the condition affects approximately one in 4,000 live births. A stroke can occur even before birth. Symptoms of a 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 a neonatal stroke.
Medical Conditions Increase Stroke Risk in Children
Some of the common underlying conditions that accompany this disease include sickle cell disease and congenital or acquired heart problems. Risk factors for this disease may also include head and neck infections, systemic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune diseases, head trauma, and dehydration in children. More than half of all children with stroke have an identified risk factor. And for many others, at least one or more risk factors can be identified after such an assessment.
Women at risk during pregnancy
Infant stroke is sometimes causally linked to conditions that make the mother ill or to pregnancy complications. Some potential risk factors for expectant mothers include a history of infertility, a diagnosis called chorioamnionitis in the fluid surrounding the unborn baby, premature rupture of membranes, and pregnancy-related preeclampsia. All of these can create an environment that puts the newborn at higher risk of 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: The brain will be active by exercising only two days a week, diseases will also be far away.
Common risk factors for stroke in adults include high blood pressure, smoking, arterial disease, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation. However, sickle cell disease presents itself as a predisposing factor associated with cases in adults and children and increases the chances of blood clots, which can easily lead to loss of blood supply to the brain. Although rare in children, stroke is an important concern because the symptoms, causes, and recovery of children differ significantly from those of adults.
Disclaimer: Some information in news stories is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, you should consult the relevant expert.
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