May is National Stroke Awareness Month. When someone is having a stroke, time is brain so you need to act "FAST". This is an acronym for the signs of a stroke. F is for Face. Ask the person to smile. You're looking for an uneven smile or any drooping of the face. A is for Arms. Ask the person to hold both arms out in front of them (like Frankenstein). You're looking to see if one arm drifts downward or if they are even able to lift both arms. S is for speech. Ask them to say a simple sentence, like "Hello, how are you today" or "The sky is bright and sunny". You are listening to see if they have slurred speech. Finally the T is for Time. If they have any of the previously mentioned symptoms call 9-1-1 right away! Act FAST!! If someone is having a stroke, immediate transport is necessary. If you're able to tell the EMS providers the last time you saw the person acting normal that is a large help as well as it can help determine when the stroke happened.
For more information visit strokeawareness.com.
