Queensland mum’s message to other parents after her son entered the world not crying
It’s often thought of as an illness that impacts adults, but stroke is tragically among the top ten causes of death among children.
One south-east Queensland mother now sharing her experience to raise awareness, as her son takes strides in his own recovery.
Paige Oclery’s son Ollie entered the world not crying with doctors later discovering he’d suffered a stroke. 9News
The journey to motherhood felt easy for Paige Oclery.
"It was the dream pregnancy that a lot of women told me they wish they had," she told 9News.
But that all changed when her son entered the world not crying.
"He was choking on a lot of the fluid, so they took Ollie away and removed that fluid from his stomach," Oclery said.
After spending four weeks in an incubator the now 14-month-old is thriving. 9News
Still something was wrong, with the newborn having unexplained seizures.
He had a spinal tap and MRI, which revealed Ollie had suffered a stroke.
"Definitely scared, afraid, sad, and confused, all those things that you kind of feel like you just don't understand," the mum said of hearing the diagnosis.
But after spending four weeks in an incubator the now 14-month-old is thriving and reaching all of his milestones.
It's inspired his family to raise money for the Stroke Foundation's Stride4Stroke, to increase education around the warning signs.
Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Lisa Murphy said there are a few symptoms to look out for.
Around 120 babies and 400 children in Australia suffer a stroke each year. 9News
"In babies it might be things like excessive sleepiness or seizures or swallowing problems, and then as the child gets older it could be things like, drooping of the face on one side, not moving one part of the body," Murphy said.
Around 120 babies and 400 children in Australia suffer a stroke each year.
"It's often due to inherited conditions, structural problems with the heart or the brain, or problems around birth so much of it is unavoidable," Murphy said.
Paige Oclery has a reassuring message for other parents who face the same confronting news. 9News
While doctors still don't know when or why Ollie went through his experience and if there'll be any long-term impacts, his mum is focussing on the positives.
"All we want for him to just keep achieving those milestones and keep defying the odds," Oclery said.
And she has this message for other parents who face the same confronting news: "just to remain strong and that they're little fighters".
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