By Mary Kay Ballasiotes.
The IAPS Support Network is a group of peers who are ready to share their lived experiences and resources, or to simply let parents know that they are not alone. We recognize that strokes affect children of all ages and the outcomes vary greatly. So, our network includes parents of children of all ages, and young adults who experienced a stroke as a baby or child. We try to make the one-on-one connections as closely as we can based on type of stroke, geographic location, age of child, medical conditions, or specific issues or concerns the family may have.
Another must-have resource for families is our Pediatric Stroke Family Tool Kit. This recently published guidebook will help in understanding what a stroke is, how it may impact a child, and what resources, therapies, and medical providers may be needed. We have even included some general information about school accommodations. This vetted, valuable information is available online to download, flip through or receive as a printed copy. The first shipment of printed copies is being mailed out in early May, but we will still have a limited number of copies available. For hospitals, clinics, or medical providers who would like larger quantities for their patients, we can add your order to our next print run. Please use our online Order Form to request copies.
Over the years, the International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke has been a leader in educating and raising awareness about pediatric stroke worldwide. With the addition of our new resources for families, we can now offer the much-needed support that the pediatric stroke community needs. We are proud to have partnered and collaborated with the American Stroke Association, the World Stroke Organization, Get Ahead of Stroke, University of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill, and other stroke organizations in the past. So, we are excited to be adding the International Pediatric Stroke Organization as another way to broaden our reach.
Check out more pediatric stroke resources on IPSO’s website here: https://internationalpediatricstroke.org/pediatric-stroke-resources/
Mary Kay Ballasiotes
International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke
Mary Kay Ballasiotes is the executive director and founder of the International Alliance for Pediatric Stroke. She is the mother of a perinatal stroke survivor and has been an advocate for the pediatric stroke community for over 20 years. Mary Kay was recently added as a board member of IPSO.
