Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Similac Recall

I posted earlier in the week about the huge Similac recall issued by Abbott on nearly five million containers of infant's formula. Although our baby is not using formula at this time we had six containers of the recalled formula in our home from when she was still using it. As I was doing some searching to find information on the recall and trying to figure out if mine were on the list I read through many forums and discussion boards filled with concerned parents with many questions and not enough answers. Since there are still babies in our family using Similac I was also concerned and worried about the potential danger of the contaminated formula.


This evening I came across an article on the Denver Post website that gave me some piece of mind and answered some of my questions. Abbott reported on Thursday of last week that it was highly unlikely that any of the containers of formula already sold were contaminated. This seems to have been a very recent discovery, probably only affecting containers of Similac that had not yet left the facilities. As a safety precaution Abbott recalled ALL units of powdered formula. Dr. Joseph Gigante, an associate professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. said that there is no reason for parents to panic. Even if an infant consumed a contaminated product symptoms would would be minor, such as an upset stomach, which should pass within a few days.


Even with this information many parents are still outraged and concerned. One mother from Farmington Hills, Mich., says this about her 3 month old son: "He was definitely fussy, and he's not a fussy kid at all." "I wish they were a little more careful screening what's going into the formula."


With all the given facts it seems unlikely that many infants would have consumed contaminated formula, if any at all. When dealing with infants there could be a number of reasons for fussiness and irritation. It seems that a lot of parents now have it set in their minds that their formula was part of the contamination and their babies are now suffering without taking into account all the other factors that could be causing a problem. Formula itself was a problem with our children. After breast feeding until I was not able to anymore I saw a drastic change when switching to formula. There was a lot more gas, bloating, spit up and fussiness.


I'm not saying that every parent is exaggerating or over reacting, of course there is cause for concern. I am simply suggesting that maybe some are not reading all the facts or they are choosing to ignore them. Fussiness is a very common issue with babies and we won't always know the reason our baby is upset. Take the time to read the facts and know that it is highly unlikely that your child has consumed a contaminated substance and if they have the chance of them facing any serious health issue is extremely unlikely. Don't over react and don't go into panic mode. Ask yourself these questions:


  • What else could be causing baby's fussiness? Common cold, teething, gas, restlessness, virus, indigestion or something else?
  • Do you have all the facts on the matter?
  • Have you contacted your baby's pediatriction about the matter and asked for advice on how to handle the situation?

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