Infant Food Poisoning Case in Michigan is an Important Reminder of the Risks of Baby Food

 Posted on July 29, 2022 in Personal Injury

In February of this year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported exposure of cronobacter sakazakii from an infant formula manufacturer in Michigan. Tragically,  the infant died, and exposure to the tainted formula is believed to be a contributing cause. 

While infant formula producers generally recall products that are potentially tainted with bacteria that can cause fatal illness in babies, this action is often too little, too late for the children whose lives were put at risk. If your little one has suffered severe illness or death from exposure to pathogens in their food, the parties who allowed this to happen should be held responsible. Fortunately, with the help of an infant food poisoning attorney, you can do just that. 

Common Types of Pathogens in Infant Food

Parents need to be able to put their trust in the manufacturers of the food they feed to their babies. When food is tainted with pathogens, unsuspecting parents are often put through a terrible ordeal trying to discover why their child is suffering. Because baby food is often produced in facilities that manufacture many different types of food, testing shows that a significant amount of infant foods contain harmful pathogens, as well as other toxic substances like heavy metals. Pathogens that have been found in baby food include, but are not limited to: 

• Aeromonas hydrophila

• E. coli

• Salmonella 

• Clostridium perfringens

• Campylobacter

• Staphylococcus

• Listeria

• Norovirus

Symptoms of Food Poisoning in Infants

Because of the time difference between when the tainted food was eaten and when symptoms begin to appear, and because babies cannot communicate what they are feeling, it can be very difficult to determine that a child is suffering from food poisoning. Symptoms of food poisoning in infants and toddlers include: 

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Inconsolable crying 

• Fever

• Lethargy

• Cramps and tummy pain 

• Headache

If you suspect your child has food poisoning, get them medical treatment right away. Once your child is being cared for by health professionals, document everything they ate in the last 24 hours and write down your child’s symptoms. This will be essential information for establishing liability on the part of the food manufacturer. 

Call a Grand Rapids Food Poisoning Personal Injury Attorney

John D. Tallman, PLC, Attorney at Law, a Grand Rapids personal injury attorney, has the experience and assertive temperament you need to get the best result from your case. Our staff is available anytime to new clients and we try to be very accommodating to your needs, including meeting you at home or in the hospital if necessary. Call us today at 616-361-8850 to schedule a free consultation and start working towards getting compensation for your child’s injuries. 

Sources: 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-warns-consumers-not-use-certain-powdered-infant-formula-produced-abbott-nutritions-facility

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/food-poisoning.html