Josh, Kim’s son, was born with a stroke. A tragedy whose consequences only manifested themselves a few months later. Her mom tells us her story.
Strokes don't just affect adults. Each year, nearly 1,000 children are affected by a stroke, according to figures from the Ministry of Solidarity and Health. Of these, half are newborns under 28 days of age. Few of them die from it (only 10%), but it is the leading cause of acquired disability in children. While there are several risk factors, in the majority of cases, the causes of stroke are unknown. The sequelae can be more or less serious, depending on the time taken to take charge.
Kim, mother of four and author of the Instagram account @mamafollita, experienced this tragedy seven years ago. Her son Josh suffered a stroke at birth. If the family and the medical profession still cannot explain it, the little boy has learned to live with his disability. Testimony.
“I gave birth to Josh on April 5, 2013. The pregnancy was going very well. At birth, he was the perfect baby: he didn't cry and slept through the night. Every month I went to the pediatrician to get the vaccines. After four months I realized that his left hand was not the same as his right hand. So I sought advice from the pediatrician who told me it was nothing, that maybe it was due to his position in the stomach and that maybe he should see an osteopath.
When Josh was seven months old, I changed my pediatrician and he immediately referred me to a pediatric neurologist without explaining the why and how. I go to see the neuropediatrician and there she asks words that I do not understand. It’s too scientific and medical for me, I got stuck and didn’t want to listen. I was with my husband that day and I figured she had to talk nonsense and I had to go see another pediatric neurologist. I make an appointment with another expert two or three days later and there, on the other hand, she has a little simpler words and she says to me: your son must have had a stroke at birth.
A total upheaval
A stroke for us is already in adults, so we are absolutely stunning. She tells us that we're going to need an MRI urgently. To do an MRI on a nine month old baby, he needs to be asleep because he cannot move. So they gave him sedatives to make him fall asleep, and it was a very difficult time. When they put him to sleep, they bandaged him like a mummy, only his face remained. It was horrible. He woke up then and tried to get rid of it all. Luckily he fell asleep again and my husband went with him for the MRI. The MRI then confirmed the right ischemic stroke, that is, a stroke on the right side, which was caused by a blood clot.
When did this happen? We'll never know. In only 20% of cases, we know the cause. For us, it's a mystery and you have to live with it. It could have happened in the womb, or maybe during childbirth, but I had a scheduled Caesarean section so it's very unlikely, or so during the first 28 days of life.
Learning to live with a disability
After that, we started the treatment sessions, with a physiotherapist. Since he had a stroke on his right side, his entire left side was affected. Clearly, he has the entire left side which is weaker.
Today he is 7 years old. From an early age, he has been doing physiotherapy sessions, he has gone to rehabilitation centers. He is a child who lives his childhood to the full, we have supported him as well as possible. He does a lot of extracurricular activities just to be a kid like everyone else. Because he is a child like everyone else, despite his disability. At school he has to wear a leg brace. He cannot stand questions, he is the victim of mockery during recess. We will always push him to accept and come to terms with himself, but we will always have to watch out because it is true that children are mean.
What I would like to say to parents and especially to mothers: listen to your instincts. If you think there is something wrong, don't hesitate. If your doctor tells you everything is fine, but you are not convinced, go see another. Never be alone. I have found groups where the children have experienced the same thing, I find out about it and find ideas that I could not have had with one doctor. Above all, remember that our children are champions. My son is a champion and every day I see him even if it is very difficult for him to live. He's still a champion and his smile will be etched on his face all his life and we'll give everything for that. ”