An 18-month-old boy suffered kidney failure after he ingested seagull faeces while out playing in his garden.
The family of Jaydon Pritchard said "there was a point where we really thought we were going to lose him" as they spoke about their horrific ordeal.
Jaydon had suffered e.coli poisoning from having ingested the seagull faeces, and began being sick and having fits as he became unwell.
His grandparents told North Wales Live they feared the worst as he was rushed to hospital and hooked up to a dialysis machine.
Jaydon is "still not out of the woods" completely but is doing much better, according to his grandparents Arwel and Christine, who look after him along with his mother Tiffany at their home in Amlwch in Anglesey, Wales.
The traumatic ordeal began on Tuesday, April 6, when Jaydon was taken to see a doctor after feeling unwell for a couple of days.
The doctor referred Jaydon to Ysbyty Gwynedd where he was later discharged after his family were told that he was suffering from a "virus," according to reports.
His grandfather said Jaydon "didn't do anything apart from sleep and be sick" the next day until later on in the evening, when they heard a "horrible noise coming from his cot".
"He was having a fit, so we called for an ambulance straight away," said Mr Pritchard.
"He had another fit before the ambulance arrived and another three fits on the way to the hospital. It was like he was looking through you. He didn't recognise anyone.
"There was a point where we really thought we were going to lose him. It was horrific."
After being rushed to Ysbyty Gwynedd for the second time, a team from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool were sent to pick up Jaydon within a few hours.
He was hooked up to a dialysis machine and received three blood transfusions during his 19-day stay at the children's hospital.
"The doctors diagnosed him with kidney failure and told us that he had e. coli poisoning from having ingested the seagull faeces," said Mr Pritchard.
"We were fearing the worst at the time, seeing his little body hooked up to the dialysis machine and his face turned yellow."
The ordeal has been "traumatising" for the family, although Jaydon is doing "much better now than what he was a couple of weeks ago".
His grandmother said she was "apprehensive" over leaving him in the garden again.
"I clean the patio every day, but it's difficult because the seagulls are nesting nearby and it's a constant mess to clean up," she said.
"Poor Jaydon is on all sorts of medications now, we just hope that he's not suffered any permanent issues. He's still not himself, he's still quite grey, but he's getting there slowly.
"Young children are constantly putting things in their mouth and we hope that this ordeal can serve as reminder for parents and guardians to make sure that their children are playing in a safe environment, particularly when they're outside."
Jaydon faces a series of visits to Ysbyty Gwynedd over the coming weeks before he is taken to Alder Hey again for another check-up.
The Mirror contacted Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which manages Ysbyty Gwynedd, for comment.
Gill Harris, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director Nursing And Midwifery said: “While we cannot comment on individual patient care without consent, we are pleased to hear Jaydon is recovering well.”
