Put the phone on speaker so you can keep helping. The dispatcher can talk you through what to do.
Call 911Do this now
- Call 911 right away, even if the signs go away. Don’t drive them to the hospital yourself.
- Note the time the symptoms started, or when the person was last seen acting normally. Tell the paramedics.
- Stay with them and keep them calm and comfortable. If they are drowsy or vomiting, turn them onto their side.
- Don’t give food, drinks, or medicine — including aspirin — unless the 911 dispatcher tells you to.
- If they stop responding and aren’t breathing normally, start CPR.
- B is for Balance: sudden loss of balance, dizziness, or trouble walking
- E is for Eyes: sudden blurry vision, double vision, or loss of sight in one or both eyes
- F is for Face: one side of the face droops or is numb — ask them to smile
- A is for Arms: one arm is weak or numb — ask them to raise both arms and see if one drifts down
- S is for Speech: slurred or strange speech, or trouble understanding — ask them to repeat a simple sentence
- T is for Time: if you see any of these signs, call 911 now. Also call for a sudden, severe headache with no known cause, or sudden confusion
Why every minute matters
During a stroke, part of the brain isn’t getting enough blood, and brain cells start to die within minutes. Treatments that can stop a stroke work best when they start as soon as possible. Calling 911 lets paramedics start care right away and alert the hospital before you arrive.
Why not aspirin?
Some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. Aspirin can make that kind of stroke worse. Leave medicine decisions to the medical team.
Signs that go away
If stroke signs come and go, it may be a “mini-stroke” (transient ischemic attack, or TIA). It is still an emergency — call 911. A TIA can be a warning that a bigger stroke may happen soon.
Stroke in children
Children can have strokes too. Their signs may include the ones above, or a seizure, a severe headache, vomiting, or being unusually sleepy. Call 911 if you’re worried.