On this page, you can find information about how childhood strokes are diagnosed and treated.
The information on this page can be accessed in the following formats:
- Order a printed copy from our shop.
- To request a braille copy, email childhoodstroke@stroke.org.uk.
How do you test for childhood stroke?
Brain scans
A brain scan should take place within an hour of arriving at hospital. Usually, a CT scan (computed tomography) is the quickest scan available but it is important to have an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging) as soon as it can be arranged. Sometimes your child might need to be transferred to another hospital for this.
The scans show the affected area of the brain and the blood vessels in the brain. Your child may need a general anaesthetic or sedative to help them keep still.
If your child becomes very sleepy and the doctors are concerned about their levels of consciousness, they will have an urgent brain scan, even if they have already had one scan.
Other checks
An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to look at the heart and surrounding blood vessels. Children with sickle cell disease have a transcranial Doppler test, which uses ultrasound to check the rate of blood flow through the arteries.
Angiography uses X-rays (or other types of scan) to look for problems with blood vessels in an area, such as the brain or heart.
Looking for the cause
Your child’s medical history may also provide clues as to the cause of the stroke, such as having sickle cell disease or congenital heart disease or infections.
Blood tests are used to check for any infections or blood clotting disorders. It's important to know that for some children there may never be a clear cause or it may take a long time to be determined.
What treatment will my child have?
If the stroke is due to a clot (ischaemic stroke), your child may be given blood-thinning medication such as aspirin to prevent another stroke.
A small proportion of children may be eligible for treatments to remove a clot. Thrombolysis is a clot-busting treatment which uses a drug to break up the clot. Thrombectomy is a treatment which physically removes a clot using a retrieval device.
Both treatments need to happen within hours of the stroke, and the child needs to meet strict criteria about their stroke and other health conditions. Your child may need to be transferred to a specialist centre for these treatments.
In some cases, doctors may undertake neurosurgery to help ease pressure building up in the brain.
Treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD)
Children with sickle cell disease are not usually given blood-thinning medication. They will be given an urgent blood transfusion, and they should be seen by a paediatric haematologist. After the stroke, your child should be monitored to check for any signs of cognitive problems and changes to the blood flow in the brain.
To treat the sickle cell anaemia and reduce the chance of another stroke, your child may need regular blood transfusions. Stem cell transplants can sometimes be used to treat sickle cell disease, when more traditional approaches fail to control the disease and the benefits outweigh the possible risks.
Moyamoya syndrome
If a stroke was due to Moyamoya syndrome, revascularisation surgery could potentially help improve blood flow to the brain.
What questions should I ask medical staff?
You may find these 'questions to ask' forms useful when meeting medical staff.
- Questions to ask at neurology appointments.
- Questions to ask when looking for therapy services or attending therapy appointments.
Read the Stroke in childhood clinical guidelines for diagnosis, management and rehabilitation or the guideline for parents, carers, and families of children and young people affected by stroke.
Find out more
About childhood stroke
How will my child recover?
Returning to school after stroke
Useful tips for you and your family