Outcome after ischaemic stroke in childhood
1Institute of Child Health, University College London, UK. V.Ganesan@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|September 6, 2000
Summary
Parental questionnaires effectively assessed outcomes for pediatric ischemic stroke patients. Younger age at stroke onset was the primary predictor of adverse outcomes, impacting daily life significantly.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Childhood stroke outcomes
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
Background:
- Pediatric ischemic stroke is a significant cause of acquired childhood brain injury.
- Understanding long-term outcomes is crucial for effective management and rehabilitation.
- Parental perception plays a key role in assessing functional recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the outcomes of pediatric ischemic stroke using parental questionnaires.
- To validate parental reports against clinical and neuropsychological assessments.
- To identify predictors of adverse outcomes in children following ischemic stroke.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study utilizing parental questionnaires for 90 children with ischemic stroke (1990-1996).
- Functional assessments by physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and neuropsychological evaluations were used for validation.
- Analysis of clinical and radiological factors in relation to outcome.
Main Results:
- 14% of children had no residual impairments; 40% had good outcomes, and 60% had poor outcomes impacting daily life.
- Good agreement was found between parental reports and qualitative professional assessments, but fair to moderate agreement with quantitative neuropsychological measures.
- Younger age at the time of stroke was the only significant predictor of adverse outcome.
Conclusions:
- Parental questionnaires are a valuable tool for assessing pediatric ischemic stroke outcomes, particularly for physical impairments.
- Younger children experiencing ischemic stroke face a higher risk of long-term adverse effects.
- Further research may explore discrepancies in parental perception of cognitive versus physical outcomes.
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