Stroke doesn't affect just adults.
That's what the family of a 15-year-old Lethbridge boy has found out.
Matthew Onofrychuk suffered a stroke on January 2nd.
At the time, his parents had no idea what had happened.
"He was standing at the front door, covered in vomit. He couldn't speak to us and had the look of absolute shear terror on his face," says his mom, Kaylene.
They rushed him to the Lethbridge hospital, and then he was flown to the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.
It took almost 24 hours to diagnose the stroke.
"To hear the words, that was indeed what was happening, turned everything upside down," says Matthew's dad, Darryl.
The teen is still not able to speak and can't move the right side of his body.
Inflammation in Matthew's left carotid artery has restricted the blood flow into his brain.
Stroke symptoms in kids are often the same as in adults. They come on suddenly and can result in difficulty speaking, dizziness, weakness on one side, vision problems or headache.
But a doctor says the recognition of stroke in kids is a barrier to improving treatment.
For further information on pediatric stroke:
