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Medical Video: Introduction to Pediatric Stroke Management by Miya Bernson-Leung for OPENPediatrics
When a baby has a stroke before birth, anxiety and uncertainty can be suffocating for prospective parents. In recent years, the ability of doctors to detect strokes that affect infants before birth has improved, while scientific research on prevention and treatment has also developed.
Who is at risk?
Usually there are no obvious symptoms associated with a stroke in the uterus (stroke of a baby before birth), so it is very important for prospective mothers to have good prenatal care and seek emergency medical attention for health problems such as trauma, fever and seizures.
Some higher-risk pregnancies have the possibility of a baby having a stroke before birth. Many babies experience strokes before birth born to mothers who have blood clotting conditions than those born to mothers who do not have blood disorders. Many blood clotting disorders can be identified by using a blood test and performed when blood clots occur or suspect a bleeding disorder. Treatment of blood clotting disorders during pregnancy requires a complex decision-making process. Stroke control that affects the baby before birth is also not done directly, and in some cases requires medication, while in other situations it only involves observation.
What are the consequences for babies?
Stroke that occurs before the birth of a baby has an impact on damage to brain development. Given that stroke detection before birth has only recently emerged, there may be many examples of uterine strokes that have never been detected. There are a number of different results from the effects of stroke in the uterus and this can range from mild problems to real disability. Some children may experience seizures or cerebral palsy. Others may experience weakness in one part of the body, such as the hand or foot, while some may experience behavioral problems or learning difficulties, depending on the part of the brain affected. Studies show that many children who experience a stroke before birth do not have significant neurological problems in their lives.
What can you do?
If you have bleeding or a blood clotting problem, it is important to tell your doctor when you start considering pregnancy or as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. Similarly, if you have suffered a recurrent miscarriage or if you have had blood clots, it is important to work with your doctor and other health team to determine whether you have blood clots or bleeding problems that you do not know about.
Take care of your baby
If you find out, either during pregnancy or after your baby is born, that he may have had a stroke, you need to make sure you have a good pediatrician for your child and maybe a pediatric neurologist too. Detailed neurological assessments can identify problems early on to help make a diagnosis, answer questions, and make a plan of action. Keeping medical evaluations to determine and monitor baby's nerve development is very important. Early therapy helps develop good balance and motor skills and emotional skills and learning skills can optimize recovery. An initial evaluation of vision, speech and hearing can help direct corrective steps to reduce disability. Medications for problems such as seizures can help prevent injury and will help control seizures for the long term.
