Chelsea Freeman/Instagram
What Happened to L.A. Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman’s Son? Inside His Guillain-Barre Syndrome Diagnosis
In July 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers player Freddie Freeman left before the team’s series opener against the Houston Astros after his young son Max was rushed to the hospital due to a medical emergency. Max was later diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
What Happened to Freddie Freeman’s Son?
During the MLB’s All-Star Week in July 2024, Max developed a viral infection. When Max was left unable to stand or walk without any pain, Freddie and his wife, Chelsea Freeman, rushed the little guy to the hospital.
“Please say a prayer for Maximus,” Chelsea wrote via her Instagram Stories at the time. “Dr says he developed transient synovitis from the viral infection he had at All-Star Week. Day 3 of not being able to sit, stand or walk … Any tips to help toddlers take/keep down medicine? He is usually good at taking medicine but he keeps spitting it out.”
However, the couple later revealed a much different diagnosis.
“Last Friday, Max rapidly declined and went into full body paralysis. We are very fortunate to have gotten him to the hospital in time so they could reinforce his lungs. Freddie was in Houston at the time and rushed to the first flight back home,” Freddie and Chelsea shared in a joint Instagram post on August 1, 2024. “After many tests, Max is battling a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome. A rare neurological condition that is especially rare in children. These have been the hardest and scariest days of our lives. Maximus is such a special boy and he has been fighting SO hard.”
They continued, “This is going to be a journey to recover, but we have faith that he will be completely healed. We have been blown away by his improvements in the last 48 hours. Maximus was excavated from his breathing tube and taken off of the ventilator yesterday, which is a huge win for us. We believe in the power of prayer and we have been witnessing a miracle in his recovery. Please continue to cover Maximus and our family in your prayers. We really appreciate and have felt all of your support.”
What Is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the nerves, according to the Mayo Clinic. While its exact cause is unknown, two thirds of people with Guillain-Barré exhibit symptoms of an infection in the weeks before the syndrome presents itself.
The Mayo Clinic added that most people completely recover from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, but there have been a few cases where a serious illness has developed.
How Is Freddie Freeman’s Son Now?
In October 2024, Chelsea gave fans an update on how Max is recovering since his diagnosis.
“Max’s neurologist is VERY VERY VERY happy with how he is progressing. Today was the first time Dr. Crawford got to see Max walk. We are still waiting for his reflexes to come back, but that usually takes the longest,” Chelsea wrote alongside a photo of herself and Max on October 10, 2024. “A few weeks ago, we were talking about getting Max fitted for leg braces. But he is doing so great that we might be able to bypass them. With the help of lots and lots of PT, Max is getting closer and closer to being his normal rambunctious self. Again, thank you all so much for the prayers and well wishes for our family.”
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