Awareness Urged Following Rare Pediatric Stroke Case in Sweden
A Swedish family raises awareness after their young son Matteo suffered a rare stroke, emphasizing the need for early recognition of symptoms.
- • Matteo, a 1.5-year-old, had a stroke while having breakfast.
- • He was hospitalized for eight days and is now fully recovered with minor brain fatigue.
- • The family aims to raise awareness about the possibility of strokes in young children.
- • Pediatric strokes are rare, affecting 50 to 100 children per year in Sweden.
Key details
Matteo, a 1.5-year-old boy from Skåne, experienced a sudden stroke while having breakfast with his mother, Therese Pedersen, on July 3. Initially unable to stand or sit, his condition prompted a call to emergency services. Upon arrival at Helsingborgs lasarett, Matteo began to vomit, leading to confirmation of a stroke after two hours of examination—an alarming diagnosis for his family.
Matteo was hospitalized for eight days and treated with blood-thinning injections. Remarkably, he showed significant improvement just two days after treatment, nearly returning to his normal self by the fourth day. As of now, Matteo is fully recovered, though he experiences minor brain fatigue which requires him to take more breaks during play.
Therese and Matteo's father, Oliwer Eriksson, express their deep gratitude towards the hospital staff and aim to raise awareness about pediatric strokes. They emphasize that strokes can occur in very young children, a fact that often astonishes those they share their experience with. Dr. Anna Ekesbo Freisinger, a pediatric neurologist, confirms the rarity of such incidents, noting that strokes affect about 50 to 100 children annually in Sweden compared to around 30,000 adults. She highlights the critical need for early symptom recognition to ensure timely treatment and rehabilitation, underscoring the importance of awareness in the community.