Stroke in children.

Childhood stroke is an infrequent occurrence. Children with sickle cell disease and congenital heart disease are particularly vulnerable. The recognition of stroke in children, unlike adults, is typically delayed by healthcare providers and family members. Large, multicentered pediatric stroke trials are absent in the literature. These studies are difficult to perform because the event is rare and the causes are numberous. Adverse outcomes such as death and reoccurrence could be reduced with defined treatment options. Pediatric stroke protocols are largely extrapolated from the adult literature. The use of treatment strategies such as thrombolytic therapy, aspirin, and anticoagulation are controversial at present.