KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — May marks Stroke Awareness Month. To commemorate it, a Kokomo family shares their story of a pediatric stroke.
Hudson Hillis was 22 months old when he had his stroke. His mom, Leslie Hillis, remembers that day very well. She remembers that at that age, he was a climber. However on the morning of his stroke, she says Hudson couldn’t even sit himself up. She also noticed he was grabbing at his stomach and wasn’t calling out for her as he often did.
“Instead, he had just had this pitiful whimper,” Leslie Hillis said. “He was scared. I could tell his cry was just different — straight to the ER we went.”
Hudson, now 9, was too young to remember the days following his stroke. He’s seen pictures from his time in the hospital about 7 years ago. Talking about his recovery brings mixed emotions.
“There was no reason for the stroke,” Hudson said. “It was just out of nowhere, and that’s about all I know about my stroke.”
Like any other 9-year-old, he likes playing outside and painting on rocks. At school, his favorite subject is science.
Pediatric strokes happen at higher rates for children under five, according to The International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke. Boys are also more likely to experience a pediatric stroke compared to girls.
As a physical therapist specializing in pediatrics, Leslie Hillis says the warning signs for a stroke in a child are similar to those in an adult.
The phrase “BE FAST” may be helpful to remember what to look out for.
- B – Balance loss.
- E – Eyesight changes.
- F – Facial drooping.
- A – Arm weakness.
- S – Speech difficulty.
- T – if any of these are present, it’s Time to call 911.
Hillis’ professional background helped her act quickly.
“Life changed a lot for us. I took an extended period of time off work. He was my full-time job, just trying to get him back to recovery,” Leslie Hillis said.
When Hudson arrived at the emergency room in Kokomo, Leslie Hillis’ concerns about a stroke were dismissed.
Eventually, he was airlifted to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. Once in Indianapolis, a team of doctors who specialize in pediatric stroke who were able to run the tests needed to diagnose Hudson.
“I had every emotion under the sun,” Leslie Hillis said. “I was just so scared of what was to come, and so it took a little bit for me to process.”
The frustration that arose out of the situation led the family on a mission: to tell others that strokes can happen at any age.
Every year in May, the family puts up a sign that reads “Pediatric Stroke Survivor” on the front lawn of their rural home. Leslie Hillis hopes it will spark a conversation.
“As silly as it may seem, we actually have a lot of people drive by,” Leslie Hillis said. “I do a lot of social media posting throughout the month, too.” In the past, they’ve made visits to local hospitals to talk about their experience with pediatric stroke.
Hudson says he just hopes to help people along the way.
“If they don’t know, then they’re gonna not be prepared. If they’re not prepared … the stroke might do something. We never know what’s gonna it’s gonna do,” Hudson said.
The family says his recovery will be a lifelong process. Currently, he’s focused on gaining use of his hands in occupational, recreational and music therapies.
