Contents:
Medical Video: The Stroke Effect: Life after a Stroke
Children who have acute strokes should be rushed to the hospital for further investigation on the causes and consequences of stroke, as well as to get treatment. Ideally, children who have a stroke must be hospitalized with treatment from a pediatrician.
Children will be treated by several health professionals when in the hospital and when rehabilitation begins. They all work together as a team. Family members and patients are an important part of the team who must be active participants in care planning and decision making.
Team members can include:
- Stroke specialist neurologist
- Primary nurse doctor
- Pediatrician
- Nurse
- Other medical specialists (depending on the underlying cause of the stroke)
- Patients and family members
- Linguist pathologist
- Sports and rehabilitation assistant
- Physiologist, rehabilitation specialist
- Play and recreation therapist
- Physical therapist
- Social worker
- Therapist
- Nutritionists
- Pharmacist
- Child psychologist
Each of the above teams has an important role in providing services for your child. Don't hesitate to ask them during your treatment.
An important role of each team is to educate family members about the diagnosis of stroke in children. Sometimes, it is rather difficult for nurses to explain the exact cause and rate of recovery of stroke. Important questions that can be asked of specialist nurses include:
- What effects will affect the growth and development of our child?
- What is the method for restoring our child?
- What do we need to decide when our child is discharged from the hospital?
- What types of financial assistance, rehabilitation and educational support are available to our children?
- What services and resources are in the community to help children who have a stroke?
- Who can I ask when I have a few questions?
Family role
Every family member plays an important role in the recovery process of stroke in children. Family members can do many activities that help children recover. It is important for families and health care providers to get as much education and understanding of stroke as possible.
Here are some things that can be done together by the family.
- Creating an atmosphere and environment that stimulates the brain. Read books, play puzzles, or make crafts.
- Do activities together that need both hands! Try forming a cake from the batter and gradually increasing the activity until it's more challenging.
- Have lots of laughs! Positive energy and joking laughter help the brain to be ready to learn.
- Play video games (but be careful if your child has a seizure)
- Go sightseeing together.
