Strokes are a biological event most often associated with older individuals who struggle with conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease. When the brain seizes to receive proper blood flow, a stroke can occur. Though less common, children can also suffer from strokes. Both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are seen in cases with infant children, most often occurring during or shortly after labor. While it is often difficult to identify a fetal stroke’s cause, there may be signs that indicate that the stroke was preventable. It is possible that your infant’s stroke may have been prevented had you and your child received better medical care.
Causes, Types, and Symptoms of Fetal Strokes
Fetal strokes occur when the infant’s brain is deprived of oxygen. Oxygen deprivation occurs due to clots reducing the flow of oxygenated blood or a hemorrhage disrupting normal blood circulation. Infant strokes tend to occur between the 28th week of pregnancy and one month after the child’s birth. Due to a lack of air in the birth canal, the strokes most often occur during or immediately after the delivery process.
The most common type of stroke seen among infants is an ischemic stroke. Along with lacking oxygen at birth, other possible causes of an ischemic stroke include a heart defect present at birth, blood disorders, injured arteries, and dehydration. Though it is less common, newborns may also suffer a hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes are often linked to damaged blood vessels due to head injuries, aneurysms, and blood clotting diseases.
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