Stroke and Cerebrovascular Program

The Pediatric Stroke and Cerebrovascular Program provides evaluation for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all types of stroke in children.

We provide immediate, comprehensive care in emergency stroke situations. And we focus on providing follow-up, rehabilitative care to help your child recover as fully as possible.  

In addition to helping your child recover, our goal is to help you and your child prevent another stroke in the future.

Signs of a Stroke in Children

Go to the emergency room if your child has signs or symptoms of a stroke, including any of the following sudden changes:

• Weakness on one side of his or her body

• Change in sensation on one side of the body

• Difficulty speaking or being understood

• Dizziness or inability to keep balance

• Severe headache

• Seizures followed by new deficits in your child, such as not being able to move an arm

Children at Risk for Stroke

Our program assesses — and provides prevention therapies for — children at risk for strokes. Strokes are more common in children with other conditions that affect the blood and blood vessels, including:

• Bleeding and blood clotting disorders, such as sickle cell disease or thrombophilia

• Certain heart conditions, such as single ventricle defects like hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) or tricuspid atresia

• Head injury

• Moyamoya

• Radiation to treat a brain tumor

• PHACE syndrome