A six-year-old girl had to learn to speak again after suffering a stroke that left her temporarily paralysed following a chickenpox infection.
Child actor Avy Berry, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, had to undergo life-saving brain surgery but has made a remarkable recovery.
She recently landed a year-long role on Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, playing Scott Drinkwell’s adopted daughter, Miley Carson.
The stroke is believed to have been caused by chickenpox, which he contracted four months earlier.
Around 400 children in the UK suffer a stroke each year and in rare cases infections such as chickenpox can increase the risk, according to the Stroke Association.
Six-year-old Avy Berry had to learn to speak again after suffering a transient ischaemic attack (known as a mini-stroke) and a stroke. Just weeks after her recovery, Avy landed a year-long role in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, playing Miley Carson, the adopted daughter of Scott Drinkwell’s character (pictured).
In October 2022, Avy suffered a stroke and underwent surgery to correct blood flow in her brain.
Avy’s mother, Fearne Collins, 31, realised something was wrong with Avy in April 2022 when she became unresponsive in her sleep and couldn’t use one side of her body.
Mrs Collins called an ambulance but by the time they arrived her symptoms had disappeared so they suggested it was a viral infection and she was having a bad nightmare.
She then took Avy to the emergency room and a scan revealed that she had actually suffered a mini-stroke and she was put on low-dose blood thinners.
In October 2022, Avy suffered a stroke and underwent brain surgery to correct blood flow in her brain.
Mrs Collins said: ‘He is now on high dose blood thinners but that was 18 months ago and he has not had another stroke since, which we are very pleased about.
‘There are some (lasting symptoms) because it’s a brain injury, so emotionally he’s still struggling a bit and he’s quite emotional.
‘But I also think part of it might be the medical aspect, because it was pretty horrible and there’s the trauma of being in the hospital.
‘She would fall asleep and then wake up every hour to do more blood tests and that was really hard, having to hold her down to put the needles in.
“She is still very afraid if someone goes to the hospital.”
Ms Collins asked her doctors why this had happened and was told the most likely trigger was the chickenpox infection she had suffered.
Chickenpox, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is a common childhood infection and most often causes an illness characterized by a rash of itchy red spots all over the body that lasts one to two weeks.
However, complications include skin infections, which occur in one in ten cases, and pneumonia, a potentially fatal lung disease, which affects one in 20.
In two percent of cases, the virus can cause inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis.
It has also been linked to an increased risk of childhood stroke for about six months after infection, but this is extremely rare, according to the Stroke Association.
He adds that other serious infections such as bacterial meningitis, encephalitis and sepsis can also increase the risk of stroke in children.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted. This kills brain cells, which can affect how your body works, as well as how you think and feel.
Weakness on one side of the body, tingling in the arms and legs, seizures, and blurred vision are warning signs of a stroke in children.
Just weeks after her recovery, Avy landed a year-long role on Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, playing Miley Carson, the adopted daughter of Scott Drinkwell’s character.
She was also recently seen in theaters when she acted as an extra in the Paramount Pictures horror film A Quiet Place: Day One.
Avy started acting when she was four and Ms Collins says she enjoys it because she likes to “play” and talk to “all the people on set”.
Ms Collins, owner of the Elm Arts Company acting school, said: “She just likes to play – that’s what acting is all about.”
‘I think that’s what he likes to do and, to be honest, he likes to be the center of attention when he’s on set.
“She likes to talk to all the adults and all the people on set; she really likes to be present.”
Avy started acting when she was four and Ms Collins says she enjoys it because she likes to “play” and talk to “all the people on set”.
She was also recently seen in theaters when she acted as an extra in the Paramount Pictures horror film A Quiet Place: Day One (pictured).
Ms Collins is now trying to raise awareness about childhood strokes and is urging parents to take their children for check-ups if necessary.
She said: ‘As a parent of a childhood stroke survivor, then I know you think it’s not going to happen to you.
“But if you have instincts then go and get them checked out.
‘When I was in the hospital with Avy, only one person was allowed in, so a lot of times it was just me.
‘The only solace I found was newspaper articles about children who had suffered strokes, and seeing a positive story was helpful.’
