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19 March, 2010
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By Leanne Carter
Published: 24 November, 2009
WEE Callum Pratt is a medical miracle, having survived a life-threatening stroke when he was aged just two. Doctors were stunned when they made the diagnosis, as Callum was the youngest patient they had ever treated. Now his family have rallied round to generate awareness of the condition, and deliver a £3,500 boost to a stroke charity.
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They want to help dispel the myth that strokes only happen to older people, and highlight the warning signs. His mum, Sarah, said no one could believe that someone so young could be struck down by the condition. "Strokes can and do happen to children, and Callum is proof of that," said Mrs Pratt, of Barnhill Road, Macduff. "People shouldn't think of it as something that happens to and older person. We want to raise awareness so that people look out for the warning signs - weakness in the face, arms and legs, and speech problems. "The Act FAST campaign on the television just now describes it down to an absolute T. Everyone should try and find out, because you never know when and who it might happen to." Callum, who is now aged five, was completely paralysed down one side, but is now battling back to health after the scare. The stroke was caused by a blood clot in his neck, but there were no warning signs before he fell ill. Mrs Pratt noticed that Callum's lip was twitching and he had a 'blank' look on his face. He was also unable to speak. Her own mother had suffered a stroke in her early 30s, and Mrs Pratt instinctively knew she was now watching her son have one. Callum was rushed to hospital, but it was 24 hours before a stroke was finally confirmed by doctors. "No one could believe it because no one had ever come across someone so young having a stroke," said Mrs Pratt (27). "One of the doctors had seen a stroke in a child before, but not nearly as young as Callum. "They did every test possible and told me that he was just an unlucky child, but I refused to accept that. I went through genetics and found that strokes run in the family." Callum now has epilepsy as a result of the stroke, and wears a splint on his leg. He has regular injections of Botox to help his leg muscles to grow strong, and also takes a daily dose of aspirin. He lost all his speech, and it is only though intensive physiotherapy that he has been able to regain it. Mrs Pratt said that, in the first few months after the stroke, it was like having a baby again. She added: "He's getting on really well now though. He started school after the summer, and he absolutely loves it. "I sometimes wonder if he would have been so badly affected if he had been diagnosed sooner, but we'll never know." Callum's dad, Allan (32), and his uncle, Barry Smith, from Sandend, both completed a 170ft bungee jump from a crane in Aberdeen in aid of the Stroke Association. The whole family went to watch the pair make the nerve-wracking leap of faith, including the couple's other children, Jonathon (12) and Natasha (9). The family also organised a 60s and 70s fancy dress night with a raffle and auction, which was extremely well supported, and staged a 10-mile sponsored walk. The cash will be handed over to the Stroke Association - a group which has provided a huge amount of support to the family - and Mrs Pratt hopes to continue fund-raising on their behalf. She said: "When Callum first had the stroke, we found the Stroke Association's website a really good source of help. We got in touch with them soon afterwards, and they have been really helpful and given us lots of advice and support. "It's amazing that so many people have never heard of the Stroke Association, so we felt we wanted to help them and raise awareness of strokes. "We would like to thank everyone who has supported our fund-raising, especially Louise Duncan, Rachel Smith and Isla Watt." l.carter@banffshire-journal.co.uk 
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