A mother who fed her baby a now-recalled batch of infant formula is calling for a “full investigation” into the product after her son fell seriously ill.
Speaking to Sky News on condition of anonymity, the mum’s son, who is just three months old, was first taken to hospital with symptoms that included vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain that got progressively worse.
She had given her son SMA infant formula, produced by food and drink giant Nestle, in four-hourly feeds since birth because she said she “trusted the brand”.
She had brought the formula at a local supermarket and continued to feed it to her son after he fell ill.
The mum said her “heart sank” when, after her son had already been admitted to hospital, she saw that batches of the formula that she had fed him were among those linked to possible contamination with the toxin cereulide.
Earlier this month, Nestle issued a global recall of specific batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula due to the potential presence of cereulide.
Once consumed, the heat-resistant toxin can lead to a rapid onset of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
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Nestle recalls baby formula batches over toxin fears
In a statement, Nestle told Sky News the batches had been recalled as a “precautionary” measure, following the detection of a quality issue with an ingredient provided by a leading supplier”.
“No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the products involved to date,” the company added.
However, the parent we spoke to wants a “full investigation” into what has caused her son’s illness.
“We don’t have the full picture of what has happened,” she says, describing how her baby developed mottled skin, “blue feet” and “grunting, jerking movements” before being taken to hospital.
After tests, including two lumbar punctures, medical teams diagnosed meningitis.
“When people ingest or are exposed to bacteria, it crosses the lining of the mouth or somewhere along the gastrointestinal tract,” explains Professor Michael Benedict, Director of the University of Liverpool’s Brain Infection and Inflammation Group.
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Those bacteria can then “enter the bloodstream and stay there, that causes sepsis or bloodstream infection,” he says, “or if it spreads from the bloodstream to an organ, in this case the meninges, this sac around the brain, and it results in meningitis.”
In this case, the baby has been treated with antibiotics.
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In a statement, the UK’s Health and Standards Agency told Sky News it has informed clinicians of the recall.
It reiterated there were no confirmed cases at this time and that symptoms can be similar to “other common winter viruses”.
However, the agency said it will “continue to provide testing for individuals where appropriate”.
If you believe you may have been impacted by any issues related to this story and would like to share them with us, you can contact Sky News here
