Melinda Tillman, Kelly Schramm and Vanessa Hotchkiss didn't know each other until meeting through an online support group.
Their children -- Scott Tillman, 6, Gabriel Schramm, 4, and Noah Hotchkiss, who is almost 2 -- had strokes either in the womb or at birth.
"It was scary," said Melinda Tillman, whose first-born child was flown by helicopter from one Minnesota hospital to another after his tiny body started seizing about 24 hours after his birth.
"When I heard the word 'stroke,' I thought about older people," Tillman said. "I didn't have a clue about pediatric stroke, but it's not as uncommon as people might think."
The actual incidence of in-utero strokes is unknown, but there is general agreement that the numbers are greatly underestimated because they are difficult to diagnose, Dr. Felix Chukwudelunzu, a Luther Midelfort neurologist and stroke specialist, said in an earlier interview.
Strokes occur in about three of every 100,000 children between 1 month and 18 years of age each year, according to the American Stroke Association.
There is no significant funding for research, according to the Pediatric Stroke Network.
Tillman of Lake Hallie, Schramm of Osseo and Hotchkiss of Eau Claire hope to do something about that Sunday. From 5 to 9 p.m., 25 percent of purchases made with a "FUN"raising card at Action City will be donated to pediatric stroke research.
"I know that there are many other families with stories like mine," said Hotchkiss via e-mail. "My ambition in life is now to educate people, to raise money for research and to help others who are experiencing this awful tragedy."
Children, like adults, can experience weakness or paralysis on one side of the body as a result of stroke, according to thee American Stroke Association. Other common effects include difficulty with speech and language, a decreased field of vision, loss of emotional control and changes in mood.
Tillman's son, Scott, a first-grader at Halmstad School in Chippewa Falls, has undergone various therapies. He wears a brace on his right foot to keep it straight and a another on his right hand and wrist to keep the hand open and wrist straight.
Gabriel Schramm, who also has had therapies, shows no physical delays, said Kelly Schramm in an e-mail, but they're still working on conquering some letter combinations he finds challenging.
Vanessa Hotchkiss won't fully know the effects of her son Noah's stroke until he is able to describe his senses for her.
For now, "he seems to be able to see fine," she said. "He is learning and speaking well. He has surprised us all."
Dr. Phillip Porter, a neurologist and interventional radiologist at OakLeaf Medical Network and Brain and Spine Institute at Sacred Heart Hospital, applauded the mothers' effort to raise pediatric stroke awareness.
"With kids, there is kind of that disbelief; a stroke isn't something (parents and sometimes even medical providers) think about," said Porter, adding that it can be difficult to notice the symptoms in newborns and infants.
Like with adults, seeking prompt medical attention if suspecting a stroke in a child is crucial to minimizing brain damage, he said.
"It's very frightening for parents," he said, "but time is critical."
O'Brien can be reached at 830-5838, 800-236-7077 or christena.obrien@ecpc.com.
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