HOUSTON — Camila Ramos collapsed during gym class at her Houston school after stating she was not feeling well. The 11-year-old was transported to a hospital where doctors diagnosed her with a stroke.

The school nurse contacted her mother, Cristal Ramos, following the collapse. Upon seeing her daughter, the mother observed severe neurological symptoms. "Her speech was really, really slurred. She couldn’t control her eyes. Her head was completely fixed to the right, complete left-sided weakness, and at that point she wasn’t moving anything on the left side anymore," she said.

The initial reaction to the diagnosis was disbelief. "You wouldn’t think your 11-year-old is having a stroke," she said.

Medical intervention required extensive procedures. She underwent three brain surgeries to address the condition. Following the operations, she began receiving physical therapy at TIRR Memorial Hermann.

The rehabilitation process demanded significant effort from the young patient. "I had a stroke, and I had to put in a lot of work at therapy, and I’m still having to put in a lot of work," she said. The recovery involved enduring difficult moments. "There were times when it was very painful and I didn’t want to do it, but I knew I didn’t have a choice if I wanted to get out of the hospital," she said. Her progress exceeded medical expectations. "She just seemed to surpass everything that the doctors would tell us," her mother said.

Emily Kline is a physical therapist at TIRR Memorial Hermann. She noted that the clinical presentation in younger patients mirrors that of older populations. "They are the same signs in kids as they are in adults," Kline said.

Clinicians monitor specific physical indicators during assessment. "We’re looking at any facial weakness, any arm weakness, but sometimes leg weakness as well," she said. Rapid response remains a critical factor in outcomes. "The biggest thing is time," Kline said.

Stroke warning signs in children can include severe headache or migraine, difficulty speaking, slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, and facial drooping. Advocates suggest the condition receives insufficient public attention. "Pediatric stroke, I don’t think it’s spoken about enough. I don’t think enough people know about it," she said.