Former Atlanta Braves star Freddie Freeman and his wife, Chelsea, posted on Instagram Sunday their 3-year-old son was home from the hospital after spending eight days in intensive care undergoing treatment for a rare neurological condition.
“Max still has a long road ahead of him to regain his strength and relearn how to walk. But we are so thankful to have our family back together,” Chelsea wrote Sunday of their son Maximus.
The latest post Sunday included photos of Freddie and Chelsea Freeman in a hospital bed with Max. Another photo featured a notebook with, “prayers for Max,” written on the cover. The post also include a video of Max being reunited with his older brothers.
Chelsea Freeman had posted Thursday on social media an update about her son’s condition. He was rushed to the hospital on July 26 where doctors diagnosed him with a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome. She noted her child’s symptoms included full-body paralysis, but said he was improving and was taken off a ventilator.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the syndrome is a “condition in which the body’s immune system can attack the nerves.”
Guillain-Barré syndrome often begins with tingling and weakness starting in the feet and legs and spreading to the upper body and arms. Some people notice the first symptoms in the arms or face.
The exact cause of Guillain-Barré syndrome is not known. But two-thirds of people who are diagnosed have had an infection in the six weeks before Guillain-Barré symptoms begin. The syndrome can appear after a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection, including COVID-19, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a serious condition that requires immediate hospitalization because it can worsen quickly. The sooner treatment is started, the better the chance of a complete recovery.
