Paediatric stroke — a review of current guidelines for diagnosis and treatment

Stroke, increasingly recognised in children in recent years, is an important cause of long-term morbidity and disability. It can be classified by the stroke type as either arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS), haemorrhagic stroke (HS), or cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT). Furthermore, perinatal and childhood stroke can be distinguished. A wide range of conditions associated with paediatric stroke has been identified, which differ significantly from those in adults. A paediatric stroke can also present with a variety of symptoms and signs, both specific and non-specific. Because of the diversity of the underlying risk factors, limited awareness among the medical community, and therefore insufficient recognition of paediatric stroke symptoms, diagnosis can be difficult and is often delayed. This limits access to acute interventions. The goal of this paper was to examine the current guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of paediatric stroke.