healthydailymail.com For adults suffering ischemic stroke, the first port of call in terms of treatment is the medication tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which works by dissolving any blood clots that are blocking the arteries, restoring blood flow to the brain. Such treatment must be administered within 3 hours of symptom onset - 4.5 hours for some patients.
The use of tPA among young children with ischemic stroke, however, is controversial. Since children and adults have physiological differences, health care professionals are concerned about the drug's safety and efficacy among children - something that is currently being investigated.
As such, stroke treatment for children tends to vary depending on the cause of their stroke and any underlying medical conditions they may have. A child whose stroke was caused by a heart defect, for example, may be treated with blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin or aspirin.
Children who suffer stroke have around a 15-18% chance of suffering another stroke. Therefore, many children may receive treatment to prevent stroke recurrence, such as antithrombotic therapy - medication that stops blood clots from forming or growing.
One crucial treatment for the majority children who suffer stroke is rehabilitation therapy, which can involve physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.
Sixty percent of children experience neurological problems, such as hemiplegia or hemiparesis cerebral palsy, following stroke. Rehabilitation therapy can really help reduce the neurological effects of stroke, and the earlier treatment is started, the more likely it is to succeed.
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