Would You Recognize a Child Having a Stroke?
Impacting more than 18,000 children under the age of 15 every year, strokes are the sixth leading cause of death in children.
Stroke symptoms include SUDDEN severe headaches, numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body) and confusion or trouble speaking.
The most effective stroke treatments must be given within the first 3 hours after symptoms start. By recognizing the signs of stroke in children and acting fast, you can help medical professionals lessen a stroke’s damage to a child’s brain.
Use the following tool to help you think F.A.S.T:
| FACE | Ask the child to smile.
Does one side of the face droop? |
| ARMS | Ask the child to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? |
| SPEECH | Ask the child to repeat a simple sentence.
Are the words slurred? Can the patient repeat the sentence correctly? |
| TIME | If the child shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying. |
Foradditional informationon preventing pediatric strokesvisit www.kendallroogillisfoundation.org
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