A retrospective analysis of 161 pediatric stroke survivors revealed significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms compared to the general pediatric population, with the most vulnerable period emerging around age 9, according to new research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2025.

The study, conducted at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, found depression, anxiety, and somatization occurred in 13%, 13.7%, and 17.4% of childhood stroke survivors, respectively. Researchers identified ages 8.5 to 9.6 years as the period of greatest vulnerability for developing these mental health challenges.

"Our analysis found that mental health challenges are present at a higher rate in these young stroke survivors compared to the general population," said study coauthor Nomazulu Dlamini, MD, PhD, MSc, director of the Children's Stroke Program at The Hospital for Sick Children. "For kids, we know that psychological symptoms are often underrecognized. We wanted to understand which children are more at risk of developing mental health problems and identify the clues that would allow us to offer interventions that support better mental health and improve their quality of life."

The research team analyzed data from children who experienced ischemic stroke between 2002 and 2020. Study participants, ranging from 5 to 17 years old, completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children questionnaire to screen for depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms.

Jennifer Crosbie, PhD, a psychologist at The Hospital for Sick Children, emphasized the importance of post-discharge vigilance, stating, "These children are discharged after recovering from their stroke, but parents report significant mental health impairments. This study highlights the risk of mental health difficulties over time. There is this lurking anxiety after children are discharged."

Key findings included that average scores for mood, anxiety, and somatization were higher in stroke survivors than in the general pediatric population. Additionally, children showing signs of somatization were typically older than age 2 at stroke onset.

Study limitations included its single-site design and reliance on questionnaires rather than clinical assessments for mental health outcomes. The research included 98 boys and 63 girls who had suffered ischemic stroke, with a median stroke age of 1.9 years.

The findings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.