In an update posted to Instagram, Chelsea Freeman revealed that 3-year-old Maximus is dealing with a rare neurological condition.
The youngest son of Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to the post from Maximus’ mother.
Maximus was originally hospitalized just over a week ago when he began having trouble standing, walking and eating. Chelsea Freeman posted to Instagram that Maximus had gone through tests which led to a diagnosis of transient synovitis “from the viral infection he had at All-Star Week.” Tests showed “no infection or active virus” and “everything is consistent with transient synovitis,” Chelsea Freeman posted.
Days later, however, Maximus “rapidly declined and went into full body paralysis,” according to Chelsea’s most recent post.
“We are very fortunate to have gotten him to the hospital in time so they could reinforce his lungs,” she said.
Freddie Freeman had traveled to Houston with the Dodgers but left the team and returned home on Friday to be with his family.
After “many tests,” Chelsea posted, Maximus has now been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological condition that is fairly rare in children. It is often triggered by a respiratory or digestive tract infection and can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, and other symptoms.
Blood treatments and physical therapy can relieve symptoms and most people make a full recovery. But there can be permanent nerve damage.
“These have been the hardest and scariest days of our lives,” Chelsea posted on Instagram. “Maximus is such a special boy and he has been fighting SO hard. This is going to be a journey to recover, but we have faith that he will be completely healed.”
Chelsea Freeman said Maximus has improved in the past 48 hours, so much so that he was taken off a ventilator and his breathing tube was removed.
Freddie Freeman was placed on the family emergency list by the Dodgers. There is no word on when he might rejoin the team.