Acute ischemic stroke in a 19 month old following minor head trauma: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Minor head trauma is a very rare cause of ischemic stroke in the pediatric population. We describe a nineteen month old patient who developed left hemiparesis and subsequently left facial palsy after a fall. MRI of the brain showed hypodensities in the basal ganglia, internal capsule and caudate nucleus consistent with stroke. Echocardiogram and MRA were normal. Hypercoaguable work up showed that the patient was a carrier for a single MTHFR gene. The patient was treated conservatively. On follow up two weeks later his facial palsy had resolved and strength in the extremities improved. Although a rare condition awareness about this is necessary as there can be considerable delay in its recognition.