Stroke

A stroke is a general term used to describe an injury to the brain caused by either bleeding (referred to as hemorrhagic) or a lack of oxygen (referred to as ischemic).

• A stroke usually implies some type of permanent injury to the brain
• The term infarct or infarction may also refer to a stroke

Here at Boston Children's Hospital, our Department of Neurosurgery works with many other health care teams throughout the hospital in a multidisciplinary effort dedicated to the treatment of children with strokes.

How Boston Children's Hospital approaches pediatric stroke

Our physicians are committed to a rigorous understanding of which practices constitute the very best standard of care for your child. Strokes and related disorders can have broad-reaching effects.  At Children's, we aim to understand and treat all elements of a child's condition.

• Our Cerebrovascular Disorders and Stroke (CVD and Stroke) Program provides:
  • Fast, comprehensive evaluations to quickly identify if a stroke has occurred and why
  • Combined expertise in child neurology, pediatric neurosurgery, hematology, neurointerventional radiology, pediatric neuroradiology, emergency medicine, child psychiatry, physical and occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy, in one specialized program
  • Access to therapies administered in the earliest stages of stroke that are designed to remove blockages of brain blood vessels
  • Direct referral to physical therapists, occupational therapists, or speech and language therapists to help children address and improve any affected functions
  • Long-term multidisciplinary care to prevent additional strokes 
     
• Our Neurosurgical Stroke Program provides exceptional care for children of all ages with strokes or related conditions that call for neurosurgical treatment.