Bringing a newborn home engages everyone in the family. Whatever your job is (whether a household chore or remote work), you will find yourself checking what the little kid does in the middle of your work.

Soon after the smallest family member enters the house, everyone’s life changes forever. The most crucial time is during the first few weeks or months. Compared to older days, advancements in the healthcare sector have given new parents and guardians the safest solution – the preemie formula.

But what if the baby has been prematurely born? Will the same preemie formula suit their health? In this post, we will discover the consequences a premature infant might face if they consume preemie formula.

Latest Reports Concerning Preemie Formula Lawsuit

As per the latest reports, a parent or guardian may file a premature baby formula lawsuit if the child was diagnosed with NEC. That means the infant consumed bovine-based baby formula in the NICU or received it from the hospital. As of March 14 this year, the St. Clair County Jury reached the verdict involving Mead Johnson’s baby formula.

The jury awarded the plaintiff $60 million and considered the manufacturer liable. Regarding the lawsuit, Mead Johnson has failed to warn parents about the risks of NEC in their preemie formula. 

This has been a part of the multidistrict litigation with 330 similar lawsuits all over the nation. It began on February 20, when a mother from Fairview Heights lost one of her preemie twin infants. The solicitors presented verdicts on the relationship between NEC and cow’s milk-based formula. 

During the closing argument, solicitors presented certain conflicting opinions. The jury deliberated for about two hours before offering its final confirmation. After the verdict was given, Mead Johnson clearly emphasized that the plaintiffs’ claims lacked evidence.

The company is still in the process of evaluating other options. This case is a part of the big battle against Abbott and Mead Johnson. Numerous parents are appealing for mass tort lawsuits to sue these companies and get deserving compensation. 

Are you a parent whose baby is suffering from NEC due to baby formula consumption? Let’s find out more about the link between bovine-based formula and NEC:

The Connection between NEC and Cow’s Milk-Based or Bovine-Based Formula

Has your little bundle of joy or child been affected by milk-based formula? If yes, it’s the right time to seek legal assistance from an attorney. Before discovering more about the case, let’s discover the plausible connection between the bovine-based formula and NEC.

NEC, or necrotizing enterocolitis, is usually a gastrointestinal ailment among premature infants. Infants before the 37th week of pregnancy may usually encounter the disease. The direct source of NEC might be inconsistent and vary from one child to the other. Other recurring parameters are usually recognized by medical professionals. One of them is the overconsumption of bovine-based formula. 

One reason the baby formula might be dangerous is that digesting the formula is more challenging for some premature infants than HM. Plus, their premature gastrointestinal system is more susceptible to infection and inflammation. Introducing foreign proteins from these formulas might result in NEC. The infant’s gastrointestinal tolerance and other risk factors are also considered while assessing the link between necrotizing enterocolitis and cow milk formula. 

Symptoms and Other Signs that Indicate Your Baby is suffering from NEC

NEC, or necrotizing enterocolitis, is a gastrointestinal ailment with fatal consequences. If left unaddressed, it may result in death. For babies weighing 5.5 lbs, the mortality rate is around 20%.

On the other hand, for babies weighing 3.3 lbs, the mortality rate is not greater than 50%. In short, NEC is one such condition that needs medical treatment immediately after the baby gets diagnosed with the ailment. The following are the signs and symptoms that your baby may encounter if they have consumed the formula and been diagnosed with NEC:

• Feeding Issues

When a baby encounters necrotizing enterocolitis, there might be issues with oral feeding. Notably, it’s the first sign of NEC where babies refuse to consume. 

• Bloating and Discomfort in Abdomen Areas

Abdominal distention might be another crucial symptom that indicates an issue in the abdominal area. This type of discomfort may occur in the baby’s belly, causing the area to swell. 

• Diarrhea with Blood

Blood in the stool is a dangerous symptom, especially among premature babies. Diarrhea combined with blood in the stool may be a sign of inflammation. It might include a disruption in regular eating patterns. 

• Green or Yellow Vomiting

Disturbance to the digestive process may result in bile refluxing from the liver into the stomach, which can cause yellow or green vomiting. 

Other crucial symptoms include the following:

• Short bowel syndrome with trouble absorbing water and nutrition due to small intestine damage
• Abdominal infection where the intestinal wall develops holes (becoming the entry point for bacteria to result in peritonitis)
• Intestinal stricture where the intestine becomes narrower (also known as stricture)
• Issues with growth and development whereby that infant needs surgery to reduce their symptoms

Other than the above crucial symptoms, NEC may also result in:

• Excessive fatigue
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood pressure and temperature
• Heavy breathing

If your baby experiences any of the above symptoms, you can file for an Enfamil or Similac lawsuit.

Baby food companies should take their responsibilities seriously because one minor mistake can take lives. So, whether it’s a fatal condition or the wrongful death of an infant, there’s no point denying the financial and emotional consequences in the aftermath of the situation. 

If your baby has been suffering from crucial symptoms of NEC, it’s time to hire an attorney. An NEC baby formula lawyer works on product liability cases to help those who need compensation from eminent companies like Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson. 

Finally

So, if your preterm infant is at a higher risk of NEC due to the consumption of baby formula, contact a responsible and experienced attorney. The attorney helps you seek justice by meticulously building a strong case and penalizing irresponsible companies that fail to recognize the harmful impacts of their preemie formulas. So, seek legal consultation from a solicitor and file your toxic baby formula lawsuit soon.