Boy suffers stroke at age 7, dad credited with recognizing warning signs

Seven-year-old Geno Mueller was enjoying what was supposed to be a fun day at the pool last summer when he suddenly began showing signs that would change his and his family members' lives in an instant.

As Geno was walking into the pool last July, his father Bo Mueller said he noticed something alarming.

"As he walked into the pool, I noticed that he was staggering a little bit," Mueller, an Ohio father of three boys, said in an interview that aired Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "And I noticed that his face was drooping, and I said, 'Gene, are you OK?'"

Mueller said he immediately realized his son could be having a stroke.

"I was thinking he was going to die, that's what was going through my head," Mueller said.

Geno, now 8, said he also quickly realized something was wrong.

"I could touch Dad with my left arm but like, I couldn't really touch him with my right arm," he said.

He added, "It was pretty scary. For Daddy, it was terrifying."

Lifeguards called 911, and Geno was flown to the Cleveland Clinic, where doctors performed emergency surgery to remove a clot from his brain, according to Geno's family.

While pediatric strokes are rare, some children are at a higher risk because of underlying medical conditions.

Geno was born with a heart defect and underwent several procedures early in life, his mother said.

"He had his first pacemaker implanted when he was about 3 months old ... and his first open heart surgery when he was just about 3 years old to fix a mitral valve issue," Geno's mom Adrienne Mueller told "GMA." "We thought we were well outside the window for this sort of occurrence."

Geno has since recovered, according to the Mueller family, who said they are sharing Geno's story during the month of May, Stroke Awareness Month, to let others know that strokes can happen at any age.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, strokes can occur in people of any age, including in children. Research published in the journal Stroke Research and Treatment in 2011 suggests strokes in children are relatively rare, occurring in about 13 out of every 100,000 kids.

Among children, a stroke diagnosis can be delayed because stroke symptoms in kids "can be subtle and nonspecific," the authors wrote, noting that symptoms in kids may include mild single limb weakness, incoordination, and sensory disturbances. Many also do not suspect a stroke in a child, so they may be slower to connect the dots that a child is experiencing an emergency they might expect only in older adults.

To help remember and recognize the signs of a potential stroke, the CDC recommends the "BE FAST" mnemonic:

• Balance loss that can come on suddenly, trouble walking, dizziness, or lack of coordination
• Eye or vision changes such as sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Face drooping or sudden numbness, especially on one side of the body
• Arm weakness, or weakness in the face or leg
• Speech difficulties or sudden confusion or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Time to call 911 if you suspect someone is exhibiting stroke symptoms

Dr. Kriti Bhayana, a pediatric neurologist with Cleveland Clinic Children's who treated Geno, told "GMA" that knowing stroke symptoms is critical because every minute without treatment can lead to permanent damage.

"Recognizing those symptoms is the most important in getting them early intervention, because they can have a much better outcome," Bhayana said.

Geno is now back in school with no developmental delays, according to his family, who credit his dad with recognizing the warning signs and acting quickly.

"I just feel very lucky and blessed, how quickly we were able to get him the help he needed," Mueller said.