Stroke identification or recognizing when someone may have suffered a stroke is vitally important and the quicker it is picked up the more chance the person has of survival.
Doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking 3 simple questions.
Ask the individual to smile.
Ask the person to talk and speak a simple sentence coherently.
Ask him or her to raise both arms.
If the individual has trouble with these tasks call emergency immediately.
A new sign is to stick out your tongue and if the tongue is crooked or to one side that is another indication of a problem.
I can see a lot of joking around 'smile please and stick out your tongue' but if the information saves one life it will be worth you reading it.
Gillian Green has sent more information following this post. Take a bag of frozen peas or such from the freezer and hold it to one side of the head or the other depending on which side seems affected or in the centre of the head if you are not sure. Freezing where the blood clot has occurred limits the damage immediately
