Stroke

Recognize stroke signs in children using FAST (with awareness of atypical pediatric presentations), call 101 immediately, note time of onset, keep the child calm and still, and do not give food, drink, or medications. Apply when: When a child shows any of the following: facial drooping or asymmetry, arm weakness or drift, slurred or incomprehensible speech, sudden severe headache with vomiting, new-onset seizure (especially one-sided), sudden altered mental status or confusion, sudden loss of balance or coordination, sudden vision loss, or sudden behavioural changes. Children may present differently from adults: seizures at onset are more common, symptoms may appear gradually, and very young children may show only irritability, feeding difficulty, or lethargy.