Kip and Sarah Wilson of Fond du lac say it was a shock when doctors told them their two year old daughter had suffered a stroke. Like most people, the Wilsons thought strokes happened to older people and certainly not children. “I guess one thing I’d like to share is that when you’re raising your children don’t take anything for granted,” Kip Wilson said. “We never would have thought stroke,” Sarah Wilson said. “We knew something was wrong, but we never would have guessed that a child could have a stroke.” Sarah Wilson says she knew something wasn’t right when she saw her daughter, Karina, fall while playing outside. “She was playing like any toddler would do and she fell. I didn’t think anything of it initially until she fell as second time and it was clear she couldn’t get up.” Karina was rushed to Children’s Hospital where after conducting several tests doctors determined she had suffered a stroke. Sarah says Karina had to relearn everything. Today Karina is seven years old and is doing well, but Sarah says Karina will always have some residual effects from the stroke. “She still does have some weakness on her right side and she walks with a slight drop foot,” Wilson said. When state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt heard the Wilson’s story he thought more awareness would be helpful. At a special ceremony at St. Agnes Hospital Monday Thiesfeldt presented a governor’s proclamation honoring May as Pediatric Stroke Awareness month.
