Girl, 4, left fighting for life at Addenbrooke’s after stroke at pre-school

Doctors found the dormant chickenpox virus in Isla’s system, which is believed to be the underlying trigger of the stroke

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A four-year-old girl was left unable to speak or stand after suffering a stroke at pre-school. Isla Parrott fell ill on January 22 and was swiftly taken to hospital where an Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was performed.

Since then, she has been undergoing intensive treatment at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, and is on several medications to control inflammation and prevent infection. Doctors discovered a dormant chickenpox virus in Isla’s system, which they believe triggered the stroke.

This virus is known to be associated with paediatric vasculopathy, disorders that affect blood vessels, and strokes. The news has left Isla’s parents, Kitty-Mae King and Dan Parrot from Stowupland, Suffolk, along with other family members, in a state of shock.

Isla’s aunt, Maddie King, 28, expressed her disbelief: “My reaction was: ‘She’s four years old, what do you mean she had a stroke?’ None of us has really made sense of it. I’m still shocked and I feel absolutely awful about it all. It’s been by far the worst week of my life. Seeing a child who was once vibrant and constantly active, suddenly lose so much of herself, has been deeply heartbreaking.

“It’s been really distressing for her. We’re all so proud of her as she’s been so brave.”

The stroke affected the right side of Isla’s body, particularly affecting movement and strength in her right hand. She has begun to walk again, albeit unsteadily and with fatigue, and the treatment has induced nausea.

The family acknowledges that recovery is likely to be a lengthy process. Kitty-Mae, 30, and Dan, 28, have had to put their jobs on hold as they care for Isla and strive to maintain a sense of normality for her two sisters Ava, eight, and Raya, one.

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Maddie expressed how overwhelmed they’ve been by the support received and mentioned that they have set up a GoFundMe to alleviate financial strain.

“Life can be really hard and unfair,” she admitted. “We didn’t expect to receive all these donations and it’s been lovely to see so many people support someone they don’t even know. Strokes in children are rare and support for families is extremely limited, so the costs can be scary and add up really quickly.”

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Maddie also expressed gratitude to Osier Cafe in Stowmarket for their assistance, as they provided ample food for Isla and her family. Both Kitty-Mae and Dan aim to raise awareness that strokes can occur in children, regardless of age.

Symptoms to watch out for include sudden weakness on one side of the body, facial drooping, and speech difficulties among others.

You can contribute to Isla’s recovery here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-isla-the-road-ahead.