The blockage of blood flow to the brain is an ischemic stroke; when one of the vessels in the brain bursts, a hemorrhagic stroke occurs. Either of these situations can kill brain cells and have serious or fatal consequences. According to the National Stroke Association, approximately 80 percent of children who have a stroke endure complications including learning disabilities, seizures and physical disabilities. Recurring or severe strokes can result in cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation, one-sided paralysis, and speech and mental impairments. Signs of an infant stroke include vomiting, warm, flush or clammy skin, facial drooping, drooling, seizures or unconsciousness.
Blood Disorders
Blood disorders are present in many cases of pediatric stroke. An infant's blood is more likely to hemorrhage or clot when mutations or deficiencies in coagulation factors are present. A condition called arterial embolism is a blood clot that occurs in the arteries that provide blood flow to organs and body parts can result in a stroke. Thrombophilia is an increased tendency for blood clotting caused by protein irregularities. Proteins are necessary for blood clotting, and any irregularities can cause clotting problems. Many times inherited conditions from parents can cause problems with clotting proteins. According to the National Institute of Health, factor V Leiden is an inherited condition that can lead to thrombophilia or blood clotting in infants. Infants with this condition are more likely to develop blood clots, which can lead to a stroke.
Infections
Infections have also been associated with infant strokes. Encephalitis and meningitis, which are infections of the brain and its membranes, are among the most common risk factors for strokes in infants. According to the National Institutes of Health, bacterial meningitis, particularly that caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, cause pediatric strokes. The reason for the stroke seems to be the spread of meningeal inflammation to the walls of intracranial vessels. Other infections caused by bacterial agents include mycoplasma tuberculosis and varicella zoster virus, which are both widely reported causes of infant strokes. Collagen vascular disease and primary angiitis, a blood vessel inflammation, are other causes of pediatric stroke that originate in the nervous system. Infections such as HIV, brain abscess and parvovirus B19 have also been associated with infant stroke.
Cardiac Disorders
The most common serious birth defects are congenital diseases. These defects are usually in the heart tissue or heart valves and result from improper fetal growth. Congenital heart disease is caused by defects in the membrane surrounding the heart's intraventricular ridge. Patent ductus arteriosus is a heart defect that originates in the ductus arteriosus blood vessel, which is a vital part of blood circulation in infants. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a normal ductus arteriosus blood vessel closes within minutes or a few days after birth as part of the normal changes in a baby's circulation. When the vessel remains open, it allows oxygen-poor blood from the pulmonary artery to combine with oxygen-rich blood from the aorta, resulting in a severe strain on the heart and an increase in blood pressure. All of these heart problems can affect the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and cause infant strokes.
