Young Australian Girl Doing Well After Suffering Terrible Injuries from Box Jellyfish Stings

To say that Australian doctors are shocked that ten-year-old, Rachel Shardlow is alive today, would be an understatement. Shardlow suffered extensive stings from a box jellyfish while swimming in an estuary in Queensland, Australia last December. She suffered extensive stings to her legs and body and was unconscious when found. According to a report, the young girl swam into the tentacles of the infamous box jellyfish.

What the Experts Say about Box Jellyfish

According to Jamie Seymour, who has studied jellyfish for twenty years, Rachel Shardlow's injuries were so severe that it was remarkable that she survived. The venom from the box jellyfish is among the most powerful in the world. The venom is also extremely painful. Many, who are stung, go into shock and either drown or die of heart failure before they are able to reach shore.

Link to pictures of Rachel's Injuries

What Is a Box Jellyfish?

Box jellyfish are blue in color and have fifteen tentacles that can reach up to ten feet long. Each tentacle has as many as 5,000 stinging cells. Their venom is among the most powerful in the world. The venom contains toxins that attack the heart, nervous system and skin cells. The sting is notorious for being excruciatingly painful.

Links to Pictures of Box Jellyfish

Habitat of the Box Jellyfish
Box Jellyfish are found primarily in the coastal waters off Northern Australia and throughout the Indo Pacific region. Box jellyfish can also be found in the water surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. What is interesting about the box jellyfish found in Hawaii is that it is easy to predict when they will arrive. According to the experts, they come near the beach to spawn for eight to twelve days after each full moon.

How Many People Are Killed by Box Jellyfish?

Statistics regarding the number of people killed each year from the box jellyfish sting varies and there does not appear to be a good answer. According to the U.S. National Science Foundation between twenty to forty people each year in the Philippines alone are killed from the sting of the box jellyfish.

Prognosis for Rachel Shardlow's Recovery

According to Rachel Shardlow's father, Geoff Shardlow ten-year-old Rachel is doing well. She has some scarring and memory loss but that appears to be the extent of her injuries. Doctors were most afraid that Rachel would suffer brain damage but all tests have come back showing no impairment of her cognitive function.

Sources:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/27/box-jellyfish-stings-australian-girl-survives

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/box-jellyfish.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100427/sc_livescience/howdeadlyistheboxjellyfish

http://www.hawaiiforvisitors.com/nature/box-jellyfish.htm