Stroke in children

Cerebral vascular events are rare in children. Twenty-four to 72 hours usually elapse between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis [1,2]. This delay reflects the lack of awareness of childhood stroke in the general public and the healthcare community. Additionally, the causes of pediatric stroke are diverse, unlike adults in whom hypertension and atherosclerosis predominate [3]. Large multicenter clinical trials on childhood cerebral vascular disorder are therefore difficult to perform, given the relative infrequency of the event and the diversity of risk factors. Although the standard care and evaluation of the pediatric stroke victim is not well described in the literature, this article attempts to summarize the available data and review the management of stroke in children and young adults.