Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program
Stroke in newborns and children
Stroke and cerebrovascular diseases are an increasingly recognized cause of brain injury in newborns and children. Most suffer adverse neurological outcomes that affect many aspects of child and family quality of life and last for decades. The Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program (CPSP) provides children with cerebrovascular disease and their families with state-of-the-art diagnosis, treatment, and support while providing the opportunity to participate in leading clinical research initiatives. Since its establishment at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in 2007, the CPSP has enrolled >500 children locally and established multiple new clinical and research programs. Our ultimate goal is to improve outcomes from stroke for children and their families.
About Stroke
We offer information resources to assist children, parents and families to better understand pediatric stroke. Knowledge and understanding are very important tools in helping families deal with a stroke diagnosis and the accompanying challenges. We will spend time with you in the clinic reviewing this information and answering your questions. However, as time in clinic is limited, we strongly encourage the use of these additional resources to further your knowledge and understanding.
Please visit our About Stroke and For Families pages for more information
For Kids, Teens, Young Adults and Families
LIFTS
LIFTS is a community-based peer program for kids, teens, young adults, and families with lived experience with perinatal or pediatric stroke.
Send us an email at LIFTS@ucalgary.ca and learn more on our LIFTS page.
For Families
We have numerous support opportunities available for parents and families of newborns, children and adolescents with stroke. These support options range from online educational materials, to local support groups to international organizations all dedicated to supporting families.
Please visit our For Families page for more information
It's not your fault
Many families (especially mothers) experience feelings of guilt after their baby is diagnosed with perinatal stroke. It's not your fault. The video below may help to explain why.
For Physicians
Acute consultative pediatric cerebrovascular service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Outpatient ACH Pediatric Stroke Clinics operate most weeks of the year at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Please visit our For Physicians page for more information.
For Researchers
The CPSP has a very active research program focused on the prevention of stroke, risk factors that predict occurrence of stroke, acute treatment to minimize severity of stroke, as well as rehabilitation and the use of adaptive technologies after stroke. Our research involves the latest cutting-edge technology in brain neuroimaging, non-invasive brain stimulation, brain computer interfaces and more.
Please visit our For Researchers page for more information.
For Trainees
We currently have many trainees in our program gaining experience in the many aspects of pediatric stroke. Additional research training opportunities are available. Current research trainees include post-graduate clinical research fellows, neuroscience and psychology graduate students, nursing, resident physicians, medical students, computer scientists, biomedical engineers, and undergraduates.
Please visit our For Trainees page for more information.
People
We are a dedicated group of pediatric neurologists, clinicians, epidemiologists, neuroscientists, neuroimagers, engineers, psychologists, computer scientists, software developers, research coordinators, and machine learning specialists all dedicated to improving function and quality of life for children after stroke.
We invite you to visit our People page to find out more about us.
Participate in a research study
Why participate?
This video covers the basics of participating in a research study and how you could help kids all over the world.
How to participate:
- Many studies require participation from children who are healthy. If you are interested in participating in research, click here to find out more.
