Minor Head Trauma and Ischemic Stroke in an Infant: A Case Report

Introduction

Ischemic stroke is a significant clinical issue that affects approximately 0.9–7.9/100,000 children each year during childhood (Gao L et al., Int J Stroke 2023; 18: 765–772). Diagnosing stroke in children, especially infants, can be challenging due to the diversity of clinical findings, lack of awareness, higher probability of stroke mimics, and difficulties in diagnosis (Gao L et al., Int J Stroke 2023; 18: 765–772, Mastrangelo M et al., Eur J Pediatr 2022; 1–14). While thorough investigations usually uncover risk factors for stroke in most affected children, there is a small group in which no risk factor can be identified. It occurs due to various causes; minor trauma is the rare reason (Mastrangelo M et al., Eur J Pediatr 2022; 1–14). After mild head trauma, basal ganglia infarction has been reported in infants. The pathogenesis and risk factors of this post-traumatic condition are not fully understood. Lenticulostriate vasculopathy is the most widely accepted view. (Toelle SP et al., Neuropediatrics 2018; 49: 262–268, Galardi MM et al., Pediatr Neurol 2020; 108: 5–12).

Here we present a 10-month-old female (previously healthy) who experienced hemiparesis due to ischemia in the region of the left lenticulostriate artery following minor head trauma.

Publication History

Article published online:
02 June 2025