Skiing Sofia’s next goal

Suskia Kovacs knew her baby had suffered from a stroke when she saw one side of her body was drooping and she couldn’t sit up.

Her daughter Sofia, then aged nine months, had been sick from the chickenpox but was particularly unwell that day, said Suskia, from Beach Haven.

‘‘My grandmother had had a stroke and I remember her describing what had happened: the drooping down one side of the mouth and that total weakness down one side,’’ Suskia said.

‘‘I called the nurse and I said ‘I think she’s had a stroke’ and she said ‘children don’t have strokes’.’’

But children do have strokes, at a rate of 11 per 100,000 children each year.

Sofia was rushed to North Shore Hospital, then on to Starship Hospital, where a brain scan found she had a cerebral infarction - a brain blockage.

It was unclear whether the chickenpox virus, varicella, had contributed but Suskia said the quick diagnosis and treatment helped.

‘‘I’ve met other people that have had children that have had strokes and they’ve been left for three days without knowing what had happened and it’s impacted them quite adversely.’’

Sofia’s stroke was 10 years ago now and she has had plenty of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and treatment to help her right side recover after it was paralysed in the stroke.

One of the hardest things was getting her to wear a leg splint in the hot summer months, Suskia said.

The youngster had to adapt by becoming left-handed but she was helped along the way by her three older siblings.

Sofia had to have neurological check-ups every six months, her father Tony said.

‘‘We were very fortunate … It didn’t affect her cognitive abilities.’’

The family found it was a big help meeting other families whose children had suffered from strokes, through the Young Stroke Thrivers Foundation.

Through the foundation, Sofia was able to meet other children like her, plus take part in activities such as rock-climbing, and skiing at Snowplanet, Suskia said.

‘‘It’s to do with gaining confidence in your physicality and relying on grip in both hands. It’s very challenging.’’

Now, thanks to the organisation and Foundation North trust, Sofia will be challenging herself to a week of skiing at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

While the trip to Otago was a new and exciting adventure, Sofia said she was most looking forward to the skiing.

Tony said the once-ina-lifetime trip was not something the family could afford.

‘‘[The nurse] said 'children don't have strokes'.’’

Suskia Kovacs, mother

DAVE BRADLEY Sofia at Snowplanet.