Kids at risk of stroke
Stroke ranks among the top 10 causes of death in Australian children, but a low awareness of the condition prevails, medical experts say.
There are no validated guidelines to help health professionals recognise "brain attack" in children, said Dr Adriana Yock-Corrales from Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.
Dr Yock-Corrales, along with colleagues from the hospital and the National Stroke Research Institute, reviewed the cases of 49 children treated for stroke at the paediatric emergency department from 2003-2008.
The average age of the children was just over seven years, and in almost 60 per cent of the cases it struck children who were otherwise in good health.
Sudden onset of symptoms, including an inability to focus, headache and slurred speech, was reported in more than 80 per cent of cases.
Dr Yock-Corrales said stroke was often not immediately suspected in children, and this could lead to delays in diagnosing and managing the condition in hospitals.
Her research will provide the basis for the development of paediatric stroke protocols in hospitals.
Dr Yock-Corrales will present her full research results on Tuesday at the annual scientific meeting of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, in Melbourne.
