Jack Wade was 4 years old and having breakfast when something changed in his face.
His speech became slurred and one side of his face drooped. Then the symptoms disappeared. His mother, Leanne, breathed a sigh of relief: she had been told it was unlikely for such a young child to have a stroke. But later that same morning, it happened again. Jack collapsed, struggling to speak and move one side of his body.
Leanne did not let reassurance win. Her instincts told her something was very wrong, and she quickly took him to the nearest hospital. After further episodes and emergency tests, Jack was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where he was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke.
After spending three weeks in the hospital in May 2026, Jack began to recover. Although he has improved, he still takes medication, and his family fears it could happen again.
“Nothing prepares you for hearing that your four-year-old child has had a stroke”, said Leanne, who lives in South Ockendon, Essex. “I never knew children could have strokes until it happened to Jack.”
Today, she is sharing her story so no other mother hears that her child is too young when the signs are right there. Her message to parents is simple: “You know your children better than anyone. If something suddenly changes and it doesn’t feel right, speak up”.
