What is it like for siblings who have a brother or sister with Childhood Stroke?

If your brother or sister had a stroke you may notice that it takes them longer to do things. They may get tired more quickly and need to rest more.

You may feel that all the attention is on them and not on you. You may worry about what might happen in the future. You might worry or be scared for your brother or sister. It is important to talk about how you feel with someone you can trust, such as a grandparent or teacher, especially if you don’t want to worry your parents.

What causes Childhood Stroke?

Strokes in children might happen due to a medical condition that they may have. In some cases it can take a long time to find the cause of the stroke

What does it mean?

Stroke can affect every child differently. Problems can include

• Mobility problems
• Visual problems
• Communication problems
• Memory, thinking and concentration (cognition) problems
• Fatigue
• Emotional and behavioural changes

The effects of a stroke in a baby or very young child may only show over time. A stroke can affect developmental stages like learning to walk and talk, and sometimes a stroke is only diagnosed when a child shows a developmental delay.

What treatment is there?

If the stroke is due to a clot, the child may be given blood-thinning medication such as aspirin to prevent another . There are a range of treatments that doctors will give your brother or sister if they are right for them. Some might involve medicine and others involve surgery.

There are lots of other treatments that a child who has had a stroke may need. These might include Physiotherapy, Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, Optical tests or tests on other parts of their bodies such as their heart.

There will be lots of GP, Specialists, and hospital visits that the child who has had a stroke will need and your parents may need to go with them.

They may need extra help at school or at home.

Approved by Stroke Association August 2023