A mother from West Lothian is warning parents to trust their instincts after her four-year-old daughter, Olivia Elliot, suffered a stroke linked to a routine chickenpox infection contracted six months earlier.
Olivia, now five years old, woke up in June 2025 vomiting and experiencing severe headaches.
Her mother, Rebecca, initially suspected a standard stomach bug. However, when Olivia began losing balance and proved unable to grip objects with her left hand, her family rushed her to St. John’s Hospital in Livingston before she was blue-lighted to the Royal Hospital for Children in Edinburgh.
Inflammation in major cervical arteries
Medical evaluations, including MRI scans, CT scans, and a lumbar puncture, confirmed that the preschooler had suffered an ischemic stroke caused by severe inflammation in one of the primary arteries supplying blood to her neck and brain.
Specialists linked the vascular inflammation directly to the varicella-zoster (chickenpox) virus Olivia had contracted around Christmas.
The stroke left Olivia with facial drooping, slurred speech, and temporary paralysis down the left side of her body.
Olivia Elliot’s road to recovery
Olivia, who was born premature and previously managed mild cerebral palsy through regular physiotherapy, spent nearly eight weeks in hospital recovering. Following her discharge, she successfully started primary school using a walker and wheelchair while continuing rehabilitation.
Inspired by her daughter’s resilience, Rebecca launched Olivia’s Steps, a foundation designed to provide guidance and community support for families navigating childhood physical disabilities.
