When little Charles Bedford was born in January of 2021, his first-time parents Catherine and Matthew knew something wasn't right.
Catherine was induced at 41 weeks of pregnancy and Charles was born after a lengthy labour.
"Charles didn't cry and was quite floppy. He required oxygen and was admitted to the special care nursery. When I was finally able to hold him, I noticed that he felt stiff, his eyes would glaze over and he would rhythmically squeeze my finger," Catherine said.
"The doctors and nurses told me I was being anxious, but I listened to my gut instincts and persisted. Eventually the nurses recorded a video to send to a paediatrician for a second opinion, and within minutes of that video being sent, we had people running into the room to take Charles to the ICU."
Catherine and Matthew were told their baby was having seizures as a result of a stroke.
"At a measly 24 hours old, our first precious, helpless little baby boy was subjected to countless needles, medicines, tests, exams and not a single hug from his parents. The suffering this caused was immense and long-lasting," Catherine said.
"We had so many questions about what his future would look like. After two weeks we were sent home from hospital and told to administer medication twice a day."
Catherine says Charles' first few months were filled with constant appointments and regular rehabilitation. But after one year, Charles began hitting every milestone.
"Looking at Charles today, he's three-years-old and doing incredibly well. He is a true miracle, and we consider ourselves to be so lucky. He still receives early intervention which he really enjoys."
The Bedford family are sharing Charles' story to mark National Stroke Week which runs from August 5-11 and encourages people to know the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech and Time) message to ensure they can save the life of a loved one if they have a stroke.
Stroke Foundation Dr Lisa Murphy said around a third of all strokes in children occur under one year of age.
"Perinatal stroke happens before birth or shortly after birth, between 28 weeks of pregnancy and one month old. Childhood stroke happens in a child aged from one month to eighteen years old," Dr Murphy said.
"Stroke is more common in newborns and young babies than older children. It affects one in 2300 to 5000 newborns.
"We know the faster an adult or child with stroke gets to hospital and receives medical treatment, the better their chance of survival and a good recovery."
National Stroke Week is proudly supported by major sponsor: EMVision and supporting sponsors: AbbVie and Precision Fundraising.
