How Stroke Affects Children – A Focus Group

6.19.25

A stroke can feel like an earthquake to the family system. Not only is the stroke survivor dealing with the physical, emotional, and mental fall-out, but the family may be worried about lost income, a reversal of roles for the parents, and a strain on adult relationships. Add children or grandchildren to the mix, and the situation becomes even more dire.

A stroke never just happens to the stroke survivor, but to all who live in the home. Adults themselves often don’t know much about stroke—what caused it, how serious it is, how permanent the deficits—so explaining stroke to children can seem daunting or something to put off until they are older. Sometimes there is no real conversation with the kids, or things are sugar-coated to spare their feelings. But reassurance comes with encouraging a discussion and being open and honest at an appropriate level for the ages of the children.

Children sense everything serious that goes on in the home, even if they don’t understand it. Speaking with them in age-appropriate terms about the stroke and how it will affect them is critical to their sense of safety. They will want to know what a stroke is, how it was caused, whether their parent will get better–even, whether they contributed to it. They may be afraid that a parent will die or that their life as they have lived it so far will change. These fears can be worse than the reality.

Stroke Support Association addressed this issue—how stroke affects children and how to communicate about it—in an online focus group held on February 21, 2025. Seven stroke survivors from our in-person and online support groups met to share their experiences about how the adults communicated (or didn’t communicate) with their children about the stroke and how this communication or lack thereof impacted their emotional well-being and relationship with the stroke survivor.

The focus group was moderated by three of Stroke Support Association’s support group facilitators, one of whom is also a stroke survivor. They asked the panelists a series of questions that spurred a remarkable conversation that could help other parents or grandparents initiate a thoughtful, honest, and reassuring conversation with their children and grandchildren.

Contributed by Betsy Hardiman, SSA Board Member

 

More Resources to Support Children of Stroke Survivors:

FOR CHILDREN

FOR ADULTS:

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