Scorpion sightings up this summer: A warning for parents

MESA, AZ - A Valley mother’s experience is a warning for other parents to look out for scorpions near their children as temperatures rise this summer.

Gina Davis was thrilled to watch her 9-month-old daughter Jaden crawling around and curiously picking up anything she can find.

But a couple of weeks ago, Davis got a call at work that Jaden was being rushed to the hospital and wasn't breathing.

"I never could have pictured in my wildest dreams that something like this could've happened," said Davis. "All I remember is getting the phone call and just screaming hysterically."

Jaden had been stung by a scorpion, possibly in the ear while she was playing at her grandmother's house.

“My mother told me Jaden started screaming like she had never heard her scream before and she picked her up and her eyes were going back and forth in her head and she couldn't focus and she started foaming at the mouth," said Davis.

Dr. Emad Haddad who specializes in scorpion stings at Cardon Children's Medical Center tells me when a scorpion strikes, parents will often see symptoms like Jaden's: rapid horizontal eye movement, foaming at the mouth, and breathing problems.

"It can be very scary for parents," said Haddad.

In most cases, children stung by scorpions end up on a respirator for a couple of days, but Haddad said a new experimental drug developed at the University of Arizona called Anascorp is helping to reduce the possibly deadly symptoms.

"It's been very effective, although it's still experimental, but I can say we've been able to almost not have patients on a ventilator," said Haddad.

Anascorp is given to patients in three doses and comes from a horse serum.

Haddad said it's had good response even with the more venomous bark scorpions.

Davis said she isn't sure what type of scorpion stung Jaden, but she's just happy doctors were able to save her little girl.

"I just can't lose her, she's my whole life. She means everything to me,” Davis said.