Is Your Baby Formula Safe?

Premature babies often require additional nutrition to support their development and offset their low birth weight. Most doctors will recommend a baby formula for premature children, but recent evidence has linked some brands of baby formula to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potentially deadly digestive disease that can cause problems for the rest of the child’s life. The manufacturers of these baby formula products were aware of the risk that their product poses to developing infants, yet after many years, they still don’t list it as a possible side effect. 

If your child developed health concerns as a result of a toxic baby formula product, contact us today for more information on how to fight back.

What Is Necrotizing Enterocolitis?

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a potentially deadly digestive disease that commonly affects newborn children. The disease eats away at the intestinal tissue in the body, which can form holes and allow bacteria from other areas of the body to enter and cause infection. The bacteria can lead to sepsis, abdominal infection, narrowing of the intestines, and short bowel syndrome, a condition that makes it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. 

How Dangerous Is NEC?

Major cases of NEC are life-threatening for underdeveloped infants, but even minor cases can damage the intestinal tissue enough to cause digestive health problems in the future. If the intestinal tract is severely damaged by the disease, the child will need to undergo surgery to remove the eroded tissue, which is problematic considering those prematurely born children aren’t fully developed and don’t have an abundance of that tissue. On the other hand, some infants will recover without issue, but there would be no cause for concern if the manufacturers had acted ethically in the first place.

Which Formulas Use Cow Milk as a Base?

Around 80% of baby formula’s use cow milk as a base, including:

• Enfamil
• Similac
• Earth’s Best
• Happy Baby
• Go & Grow
• Gerber
• Parent’s Choice
• Baby’s Only
• Louloka
• Holle
• Kendamil
• Bobbie
• Lebenswert

Many of these brands offer a different, non-cow milk formula as an alternative. If you’re feeding any of these brands of baby formula to your child, you should make sure that the brand you have is safe for your child’s growth and development.

What Are the Signs of NEC?

NEC happens internally, but there are some warning signs that can display evidence of the disease before it’s too late. You should make sure that the medical professional in charge of your child’s care is monitoring for the following symptoms:

• Abdominal pain and swelling
• Bloody stool
• Green/yellow vomit
• Changes in heart-rate/blood pressure
• Changes in body weight/breathing
• Lack of weight gain
• Refusal to eat

Who Is Liable if My Child Develops NEC From Drinking Cow-Based Formulas?

Manufacturers are responsible for honestly displaying their products’ side effects to the consumers who use them, but this is not the case with these toxic baby formula products. Parents and doctors had little to no knowledge of the danger that these baby formulas pose to developing children, yet the manufacturers knew for years and failed to list NEC as a possible side effect. If your child developed NEC in this manner, you could file a product liability claim against the manufacturer or a medical malpractice claim against the doctor who gave your child the formula. However, this is often difficult if you have no prior legal experience, so it’s recommended to team up with an experienced attorney to ensure that your case reaches the best possible outcome.

Contact Morgan & Morgan

Parents of newborn children only want the best for them, and to find out that their health is now in danger because of a toxic baby formula product is something no parent should have to experience. If your child was diagnosed with NEC as a result of the baby formula they were fed, we understand how stressful and frustrating your situation can be. Our talented attorneys have years of experience in cases just like yours and can ensure that a third party will never devalue your situation. When you need a law firm to fiercely advocate for the rights that protect you and your child, you’ll never regret choosing Morgan & Morgan to handle your case.

Contact us today to get started.