How could this happen to my child?

It is always a shock to learn that a child has had a stroke. Most of us know an older adult who has had a stroke, but could never imagine it happening to a child. All parents wants to understand exactly how and why their child had a stroke.

Unfortunately, stroke in children can be complicated to learn about because most strokes in children are caused by other medical problems. Because many children with stroke are already sick with something else, it can be frustrating to try to understand everything that is happening all at once.
Sometimes medical terms and concepts can seem overwhelming.

The Pediatric Stroke Center is designed to help the families of children with stroke by providing general information about stroke that is easy to understand.

Every kid is different, and some of the information here might not apply to your child. Our goal is to give you the tools to understand stroke, and ultimately make it easier to communicate with your child’s doctor.

About this Site
Content for this site was written by Aimee Baumann, a fourth-year medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Medical review provided by Bradley Schlaggar, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine.

Last Updated: September 21, 2006