Colds, flu linked to increased stroke risk for children

New study suggests minor infections, including colds and flu, may temporarily raise a child's risk of stroke. The study by author Dr. Heather J. Fullerton, of the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children's Hospital, and colleagues note that the increased risk is small and that routine vaccinations may provide some kind of protection against stroke. Yet the kids are prone to stroke. While stroke is commonly associated with older adults, it affects almost 11 in every 100,000 children in the US each year.

Stroke is even one of the top 10 causes of death among children. Common risk factors for pediatric stroke include congenital heart defects, artery disease, immune disorders and head or neck trauma. But in August 2014, Dr. Fullerton and colleagues first suggested that colds and other minor infections may be short-term risk factors for child stroke. This latest study…