Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Kristin Guilliams, MD, WashU Medicine pediatric neurologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, explains the causes of stroke in children.
• Congenital heart disease, sickle cell disease, or other genetic variants affecting blood vessels and clotting can cause strokes.
• Other causes may include bacterial infections, such as bacterial meningitis, or viruses that cause the immune system to attack blood vessels.
• Trauma to the head or neck is the most common cause for stroke in a previously healthy child.
• A stroke is most likely to occur the first two weeks after an injury. Parents should seek help for behavior changes during this time.
If you’re concerned that your child has had a stroke or is at risk of having a stroke, talk to your pediatrician or visit the Emergency Department at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
In case of a medical emergency with a child, determine where the nearest accredited, Level I pediatric trauma center is located.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has six pediatric Emergency Department locations across the St. Louis and southern Illinois region.
These include:
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital Belleville
Memorial Hospital Shiloh Medical Building
Children’s Hospital at Missouri Baptist Medical Center
Children’s Hospital at Northwest HealthCare
Children’s Hospital at Progress West Hospital
Kristin Guilliams, MD, WashU Medicine pediatric neurologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, explains the causes of stroke in children.
• Congenital heart disease, sickle cell disease, or other genetic variants affecting blood vessels and clotting can cause strokes.
• Other causes may include bacterial infections, such as bacterial meningitis, or viruses that cause the immune system to attack blood vessels.
• Trauma to the head or neck is the most common cause for stroke in a previously healthy child.
• A stroke is most likely to occur the first two weeks after an injury. Parents should seek help for behavior changes during this time.
If you’re concerned that your child has had a stroke or is at risk of having a stroke, talk to your pediatrician or visit the Emergency Department at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
In case of a medical emergency with a child, determine where the nearest accredited, Level I pediatric trauma center is located.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital has six pediatric Emergency Department locations across the St. Louis and southern Illinois region.
These include:
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital Belleville
Memorial Hospital Shiloh Medical Building
Children’s Hospital at Missouri Baptist Medical Center
Children’s Hospital at Northwest HealthCare
Children’s Hospital at Progress West Hospital
