No handedness before 18 months

One of the goals of pediatric stroke awareness month is to make people aware that kids can have strokes so that stroke survivors can get recognized as such and get the help they need to gain or re-gain function.

Parents don't seek treatment for problems they don't know are possible, and I've met medical professionals surprised that kids can have strokes, too.

Typically developing babies quit clenching their fists constantly by three months and don't have a strong hand preference until almost two years.  If a baby you know if still holding one hand in a fist at 6 months and distinctly uses one side of the body differently from the other, encourage a doctor to look for other indicators of pediatric stroke and seek help.

See CHASA.org for more tips.