CHENNAI: Unhealthy food habits, irregular fitness routines and a stressful work life may plunge us into the possibility of going through a stroke. Surviving a stroke can be dangerous as the conditions of disabilities like difficulties with speech and mobility and the muscle damage prevail. The worst scenarios are the permanent damage and sudden death. “Stroke is a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).
In this condition, the blood supply to the brain will be affected and the brain cells will get damaged. Depending on the location of the cerebral brain loss, the patient will suffer from weakness, speech arrest, facial deviation, unconsciousness or sometimes the situation can even lead to death,” says Dr Paraneetharan Marimuthu, senior consultant and clinical lead, Dr Rela Institute & Medical Centre, Chromepet. Ahead of World Stroke Day (October 29), here is a detailed explanation of the condition, especially in children the types, symptoms, alarm signs and prevention.
Tips for prevention
Regularly check for hypertension and take proper medication.
Go for regular check-ups if you have hereditary diseases. Especially in children, constant monitoring is required.
Follow an organic diet by consuming lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid lipid diet and oily items.
White-coloured food items sugar, milk, butter, rice, salt, flour should be reduced.
To manage stress and anxiety, regularly exercise and calm your mind.
Types of strokes
Perinatal stroke: For a newborn child, the blood vessels will develop from the periventricular region which is inside the brain. There is a vascular structure that will give a supply to the whole brain in a continuous manner. In premature births, the blood vessels will be very fragile. They rupture and the baby will get a hemorrhage around the ventricle causing an internal bleeding.
Ischemic stroke: If the arterial supply is affected and a blood clot blocks the artery, we call it an Ischemic stroke. The pure blood will not supply oxygen and nutrition to the brain and ultimately the brain cells will be damaged.
Venous thrombosis: If the vein is affected or blocked by any of the factors because of dehydration, some regulation disorder or due to some infection or tumour, it will lead to cerebrovascular accident.
Hemorrhagic stroke: Another condition where the blood vessel gets ruptured and the bleeding into the brain causes a stroke.
Causes of stroke in children
Hereditary defect: If a baby is suffering with sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia or leukemia, there are high chances of having stroke.
Moyamoya disease: It is a condition in which blood supply to the brain will be compromised as the blood vessels will be narrowing down eventually causing blood clots. Children with this condition, having fragile blood vessels, might have a chance of having a stroke.
Modifiable risk factors: Obesity, use of alcohol and drugs, smoking, stress, environmental pollution and sedentary activities. These factors increases the risk of getting stroke by 10 per cent.
Non modifiable risk factors: Hypertension, diabetics, congenital problems, family history, gene related issues, polycystic kidney disease.
Warning sign
A transient ischemic attack: When the patient will have a transient effect of weakness, speech arrests, mouth deviation, hand drop, unconscious state and blurring of vision, take them to the hospital within four and a half hours.