A girl who suffered a stroke aged three has helped create a support guide for other children in the same position.
Emily Burgess, now seven, has made a remarkable recovery after initially losing the use of her right hand and is among young patients involved in the project aimed at helping children cope with stroke trauma.
The handbook is the first of its kind and has been launched by the Stroke Association and the Evelina London Children’s Hospital where Emily received treatment.
Her twin Peter and brother Thomas, 10, were also involved in designing animations to accompany the guide. These have been used to illustrate online videos which explain to children how strokes affect them, how to recover and how to talk about their feelings.
Emily’s mother Virginia, 43, from Greenwich, said: “It was a bewildering time for her as she had to get used to the fact she couldn’t use her right arm.
Luckily Emily made amazing progress at Evelina London. It’s great to give something back and hopefully our experiences can help other young children and families going through something similar.”
Strokes are caused by the blood supply to the brain being cut off, usually by a clot. About 400 childhood strokes occur in the UK each year. It is one of the top 10 causes of death in childhood. About three quarters of children who survive suffer long-term effects, including learning or communication difficulties.
Emily was at home when she first complained that her arm hurt, and it soon became clear she was struggling to walk. The doctors at the local A&E were not sure what was wrong and referred Emily to the Evelina where she was diagnosed.
She responded well to treatment but is now mainly left-handed. Emily also takes a daily dose of aspirin to minimise the risk of a blood clot.
Anna Panton, childhood stroke project manager at the Stroke Association, said: “The childhood stroke animations are unique. They’ve been created in collaboration with families affected by stroke in childhood, and the words and images reflect their experiences.”
For advice and support on strokes visit these links:
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