An Australian mother is urging parents to be aware of rare but potentially deadly symptoms after her two-year-old daughter, Allira Gunn, died suddenly from multiple brain bleeds caused by a malformed blood vessel—an illness most parents wouldn’t suspect in young children.
Allira was healthy when she arrived at daycare last week, but after waking from her nap, she appeared disoriented. Her carers, unable to determine what was wrong, called an ambulance. She was rushed to Gold Coast Hospital, but tragically, doctors were unable to save her.
“At first, I thought maybe a spider had bitten her or she ate something bad,” her mother, Anna Casper, told Daily Mail Australia. “She’d never had any health problems. I just dropped her off like any other morning, then I got that phone call.”
Doctors discovered a massive brain bleed near Allira’s brain stem, followed by a second hemorrhage. “They’re not sure what set it off,” Ms. Casper said. “Her brain swelled very quickly, pushing on her spinal cord, and it just shut her whole body down.”
Raising Awareness of Childhood Stroke
Dr. Lisa Murphy, CEO of the Stroke Foundation, says that while brain bleeds in children are rare, they remain a leading cause of death.
“It’s small numbers, but often catastrophic or absolutely life-changing,” Dr. Murphy said. “It turns families’ lives upside down in an instant.”
This week marks the Stroke Foundation’s Childhood Stroke Awareness Week, highlighting the urgent need for awareness.
“When people hear ‘stroke,’ they think of an elderly person,” Dr. Murphy said. “But we need to start talking about how it affects babies and children, too.”
Signs of Stroke in Children
Dr. Murphy warns that recognizing a stroke in toddlers is challenging but critical.
“Stroke often happens suddenly, with no warning signs,” she explained. “If something seems off, don’t wait—call an ambulance immediately. Every minute after a stroke, 1.9 million brain cells die, so acting fast is crucial.”
Stroke is more common in newborns than in older children, often linked to congenital conditions. Some warning signs in infants include:
- Seizures
- Excessive sleepiness
- Irritability
- Vomiting
- Weakness or lack of movement on one side of the body
A Family’s Heartbreak
Allira leaves behind her parents, Anna and Adrian, as well as her older brother Rylan, 7, and stepbrother, 16. The family is now preparing for her funeral and has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs.
“It’s a very difficult time,” Ms. Casper said. “We’re just taking it one day at a time.”
