- a head injury that causes a broken blood vessel
- arteriovenous malformation, a condition in which the blood vessels in the brain don’t connect properly
- an aneurysm (weakness in an artery wall)
- diseases that affect blood clotting, such as hemophilia
What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric strokes?
Signs that an older child is having a stroke are usually the same ones you may see in an adult:
- sudden weakness
- slurred speech
- blurred vision
READ: Stroke Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Seizures may also be a sign of stroke in older children. Your child may have sudden paralysis (inability to move) or weakness on one side of their body, depending on the area of the brain that’s affected and the amount of damage the stroke causes. You may notice changes in your child’s behavior, concentration, memory, or speech.
Signs of a stroke in infants include:
- seizures in one area of the body, such as an arm or a leg
- problems eating
- trouble breathing or pauses in breathing (apnea)
- early preference for use of one hand over the other
- developmental delays, such as rolling over and crawling later than usual
Babies who suffer from a pediatric stroke don’t usually show symptoms until months or years down the line. Your child may still develop normally, but at a slower rate and favor one hand more than the other.
The following are signs of stroke in kids and teens: