Scaring Irukandji jellyfish after stinging a boy in Ningaloo

An eight-year-old boy has shared the moment he was stung by a potentially deadly jellyfish in Ningaloo for fear he would die.

Ethan Scott was swimming in the shallows with his family in Exmouth on Monday afternoon when he was stung by an Irukandji.

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The sting left the boy in agony, and the pain spread through his chest, abdomen, and back.

“It was really, really painful,” the boy told 7NEWS, revealing he thought he might die.

Ethan was taken to the hospital where he received treatment and is thankfully on the mend.

The Parks and Wildlife Service for the Pilbara region warned swimmers to be aware of the risks of entering the water.

“Visitors swimming, beach walking or fishing along the Ningaloo Coast and Exmouth Gulf should look out for two species of Irukandji – Keesingia gigas, which have elongated, cube-shaped bells and are typically between 20 and 40 cm long, and malo bella, which are about the size of a fingernail and have an elongated tentacle extending from each of the four corners,” the service said Tuesday.

“Both types can cause Irukandji syndrome.

“If you see an Irukandji jellyfish, please do not touch it.”

Signs of a sting include anxiety, severe headache, shooting pain, vomiting, nausea, and difficulty breathing.

Symptoms generally appear between five and 45 minutes after the sting.

Experts previously told 7NEWS.com.au that the jellyfish can pack a punch.

“It’s not like you’re dying or you’re fine, there’s serious permanent damage,” said world-renowned expert Lisa-Ann Gershwin.

Three in 10 stab victims with severe symptoms are on life support, while one in four may suffer from recurring problems, including cardiac or neurological conditions.