BRUNSWICK, Ga. – A Georgia toddler is recovering after being stung over 150 times by wasps in a recent incident that resulted in organ failure and an emergency room visit, as reported by News 6 partner WJXT.
Details from a GoFundMe started on Tuesday revealed that 2-year-old Beckham Reed was riding an electric toy side-by-side vehicle with his cousins when he disturbed a yellow jacket nest in the yard.
Immediately, he was swarmed and stung over 150 times. His family rushed him to the emergency room, where he received morphine and Benadryl before being sent home, according to the GoFundMe page.
But the family said that less than 24 hours later, he was rushed back to another ER because Reed began turning yellow.
Doctors told the family that the toddler, who was born with “one working kidney,” was experiencing multi-organ failure, and the family credited Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick for taking quick action.
He was then transferred to the ICU at Memorial Savannah, where he was put on dialysis, ventilator support and life-saving IV medications to allow his body to rest and filter out the toxins.
Since Reed is only 2, the GoFundMe said, his body couldn’t handle the amount of toxins that it was exposed to.
The family asked for prayers and donations to help with their financial obligations during the unforeseen time.
“We ask God for healing and patience as the physicians say this will be a slow process. This is not a medical experience that is common,” the GoFundMe said. “There is no antivenom for yellow jackets so all they can do is support his body while the toxins work their way out. Peyton [his father] is not able to work while they are with Beckham.”
In an update posted on Wednesday, Reed’s kidney and liver numbers had improved. The doctors increased his tube feeds, decreased his fluids and planned to pull off more fluids with his dialysis.
“Beckham is waking up more and we know this is good news because he is STRONG and a great kicker,” the GoFundMe said. “We know Beckham is a fighter and he is fighting to get better.”
News4JAX spoke to members of the family, but they declined to be interviewed.
Click here to donate to the GoFundMe.
