Thursday, May 26, 2016
5/1/17 UPDATE: The Lombardos are continuing to see improvements in Frederic's health and physical abilities. He is riding his bike again and the family plans to start him in the batting cages and possibly horseback riding to get his hips moving again. He also has participated in a few physical therapy studies.
Pediatric stroke symptoms often overlooked
He lost feeling in his arm and complained about an excruciating headache. His eyes and mouth drooped. He began slurring his words. Then, he collapsed.
All the signs were there, but no one realized Frederic Lombardo was having a stroke. He was a star athlete living in Sterling Heights and he loved playing soccer and football. There was no history of stroke in his family. He was only 9 years old.
Frank Lombardo, Frederic’s dad, still tears up when he thinks back to that day. “We were in shock. We didn’t know what to do. We just kept praying really hard and hoped for the best,” he said.
Paramedics drove Frederic to Beaumont Children’s in Royal Oak. A pediatric emergency team ran tests on Frederic, the same tests typically performed on adult stroke patients.
Rebbeca Grysiewicz, D.O., medical director, Stroke Services, Beaumont, Royal Oak, treated and evaluated him. “Stroke in children is very uncommon. It’s not something we typically see. Many adults don’t even realize children can have strokes,” she said.
The American Stroke Association reports about five out of every 100,000 children has a stroke each year. Many children do not have any warning signs.
The day after Frederic’s stroke, his father feared the worst. “He was in a lot of pain. He had a lot of painful headaches. He didn’t have the strength to stand up. We thought we might lose him,” Frank Lombardo said. “The stuff he was going through… I didn’t know how to console him.”
But, Dr. Grysiewicz and the neuroscience team assured the family Frederic would survive.
“He was surrounded by friends and family and they were very compassionate. You could see he felt supported and it helped with his recovery,” she said.
Now, nearly a year later, Frederic is still recovering from the stroke. He participates in physical and occupational therapy to help him regain his strength. He still is not able to play the sports he loved, but he’s making great progress.
“He is miraculous. Not only did he survive a stroke, but he also still has a smiling face. He’s a really happy go lucky kid. Now that he’s back in school, I think that’s probably the best therapy for him. He wants to be normal again,” Frank Lombardo said.
Dr. Grysiewicz says Frederic is doing well, in part, because the Lombardo family called 9-1-1 right away and she encourages other parents to do the same if they notice similar symptoms with their child or an adult.
He is miraculous. Not only did he survive a stroke, but he also still has a smiling face.
Frank Lombardo
“If someone has a sudden onset of neurological symptoms, call 9-1-1. Don’t wait. The longer you wait to get medical help, our potential for any type of treatment or intervention becomes more limited,” she said.
Because many parents and even medical professionals do not immediately recognize the signs of a stroke in a child, doctors at the Beaumont Neuroscience Center at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak recently developed a pediatric stroke protocol.
“A pediatric stroke is not something that is usually at the top of a doctor’s list. Our pediatric stroke protocol helps us ensure that children coming in with numbness, weakness and loss of vision can be rapidly assessed to determine if stroke is the cause,” Dr. Grysiewicz said.
Frederic’s family never expected their athletic son would have this kind of a medical emergency, but now they are on a mission to make sure other parents know children can have strokes.
“Frederic takes baby aspirin every day now. We always said he’s an old soul. He connects with older people. He definitely has something important that he is meant to do,” Frank Lombardo said.