Thank God for the sense to remember the ‘3’ steps: S.T.R. Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE COHERENT SENTENCE (i.e. “it is sunny out today”)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
NOTE: Another ‘sign’ of a stroke is this: Ask the person to ‘stick’ out his or her tongue. If the tongue is ‘crooked’, that is, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
