Stroke
Stroke is a defect in the functioning of part of the brain due to interruption of the blood supply. It is rare in childhood and adolescence. Unlike in the adult, where it is most commonly (85% of cases) due to blockage of a blood vessel by thickening of the vessel wall, or by blockage from a blood clot broken off from thickening of an artery elsewhere, in the child there is usually an underlying disorder such as sickle cell anaemia or congenital heart disease.
The disability produced by a stroke depends on the part of the brain affected. If it affects the left side of the brain, for example, causing death of cells in the upper layer - the cortex - it may affect movement on the right side of the body.
|
