League star Elijah Taylor's horrible ordeal with ill baby

Wests Tigers second rower Elijah Taylor has opened up about dealing with one of the worst things he has ever had to. Photo/Getty Images

Kaitaia College alumni Elijah Taylor has opened up about a frightening ordeal last month when his 11-month-old daughter began having seizures on the drive home after he had played in an NRL match for the Wests Tigers.

Taylor has told the Sydney Morning Herald he was "thinking the worst" after a horrifying drive following the Tigers' defeat to Penrith on March 12.

"We were driving home after the loss and our baby started having seizures," Taylor told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"When we went to the hospital the doctors were freaking out straight away. They chucked her into the intensive care unit. She wasn't breathing properly. Man, I was scared. I was thinking the worst."

The 27-year-old, who made his NRL debut for the Warriors in 2011 before signing with the Panthers, spent the following two weeks in hospital alongside his young daughter.

She was eventually diagnosed with encephalitis - an inflammation of the brain that in severe cases can be life-threatening.

"It was scary because we knew there could be brain damage," Taylor said.

"We were told there was a chance she wouldn't recover properly. We knew she could be slow or could be epileptic or could be unable to function. We didn't know how bad it could be. It was an infection in her ear and it was putting pressure on her brain and that's why she was having the seizures. It was a really scary time."

Taylor said that his daughter was recovering and hadn't suffered another seizure since the initial incident.

"I thank God for everything that has happened," he said. "We have to monitor her motor skills, monitor the way she is developing and what she needs to work on. But, mate, praise God she's coming through fine. She's had no episodes, she's strong and nearly walking around.

"She had a CT scan, an MRI scan and they came back through fine. She's recovering now and getting better. They are still worried about the seizures because they might come back. We have to take her in every month for a check-up to see how her brain is working and developing because there could be some long-term effects."