Do you know that children can have strokes too

Matthew's story

Do you know that children can have strokes too? Meet Matthew who was an active four year old with a cheeky grin when he suffered a catastrophic stroke caused by three blood clots on his brain. 

Matthew’s Dad Brendan says “On March 9 Matthew was admitted to Hospital after being sick for several weeks with a virus. The doctors believed he had ITP (low platelets) because his blood tests were coming back with low platelet count. Unfortunately and unknowingly this was due to the platelets being absorbed by three big clots on his brain – one 8cm and another 5 cm. For more…

After being discharged Matthew suffered a major stroke, he received emergency surgery to treat the bleed, and was placed on life support in an induced coma. During the operation Matthew had the blood drained from his brain and had had forty percent of his skull removed to relieve pressure and swelling on his brain.

When Matthew woke he wore a protective helmet to protect his fragile brain, which he wore for four months until the pressure subsided, and his skull could be put back in place. 

Astonishingly every step of the way Matthew has astounded the doctors with his courage and tenacity, smashing his recovery milestones in both the acute ward and in rehabilitation. Amazingly Matthew lost about 15-20 percent of his brain tissue during his stroke, however because he was so young, the rest of his brain has compensated for the loss.

Matthew is now in pre-school, and he starts kindergarten next year, but before that, he will have a titanium plate inserted into his skull.  

All this before he was five. Click here for more about Matthew. #braininjuryweek #youngstroke