An Australia-wide search is underway for researchers to help tackle one of the leading causes of death in Australian children.
A new grant of up to $80,000 has been established, dedicated to research into childhood stroke to address the unique challenges faced by childhood survivors and their families.
Stroke Foundation Executive Director of Stroke Programs, Research and Innovation, Kelvin Hill, says this is an area where more research is needed.
"Even though stroke is one of the leading causes of death in children, there is still a lot more to learn about it, therefore it is vital that we boost research in this area to give our most vulnerable Australians the best possible chance of not only surviving a stroke but living well after stroke."
Although strokes are more common in adults, children and adolescents may experience them also. Every year, around 120 babies and 400 children will have a stroke and sadly, five to ten per cent will not survive. Of the survivors, 50 per cent will have a long-term neurological impairment.
"Stroke is life-changing for survivors and their families, but government and traditional research funding streams rarely prioritise childhood stroke due to its relative rarity. With more research we can better understand the impact of stroke in children, increase awareness to improve early recognition and early treatment so our little survivors keep learning, growing and thriving," Mr Hill said.
There are major gaps in childhood stroke research and study areas including: evidence for rehabilitation interventions for children, types of family support programs, treatment, hospital-to-home transition and better longer-term outcomes for childhood survivors of stroke.
"We expect this research will generate new insights that lead to improvements that help survivors and their families at a time they need it most," Mr Hill said.
