Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common and serious intestinal disease among premature babies. It occurs when the lining of the intestinal wall dies. Sadly, up to 40% of infants with NEC die from the disease.
The use of cow-based baby formulas has been shown to increase the risk of NEC in premature infants. The most common cow-based formulas are Similac and Enfamil.
Unfortunately, the manufacturers of Similac and Enfamil failed to warn of this increased risk of NEC. As a result of this failure to warn, many premature babies were few cow-based formula and developed NEC.
If your premature baby was fed Similac or Enfamil, and was then diagnosed with NEC, you should discuss your rights with an attorney immediately. The lawyers at Shelton Davis have been handling claims involving dangerous or defective products for over 20 years, and our team is ready to hear about your case.
Call us at (601) 228-3166 or contact us online to get started today.
An infant with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) might develop a swollen, red, or tender belly. Other signs and symptoms of NEC include:
Typically, doctors diagnose NEC by performing an X-ray. If the disease is present, an abnormal gas pattern will show up, and doctors may insert a needle into the belly to see if there is a hole in the intestine.
Once the diagnosis is complete, doctors may temporarily stop all feeding, drain fluid and gas from the stomach and intestines, put the child on an IV, give them antibiotics, and discuss surgery.
In some cases, surgery may be necessary right away.
NEC can result in life-threatening abdominal infections, like peritonitis and sepsis. Sections of the intestines that die may need to be removed, which can lead to short bowel syndrome. In severe cases, NEC is fatal.
Babies who survive NEC may develop intestinal stricture (the narrowing of the intestines) and need surgery to re-open their bowels. Long-term complications of NEC include growth failure, poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, and developmental delays.
Some children may need lifelong care to get the right nutrition, and parents and doctors will need to monitor their growth and development closely.
Dealing with these complications can be expensive, and you should not have to face these costs on your own if Similac or Enfamil caused NEC in your child.
Our baby food attorneys can help you recover the compensations you need.
Studies show that cow’s milk based baby formula increases the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Premature babies that were fed cow’s milk based formula were 6 to 10 times more likely to develop NEC than those fed human breast milk.
Even though the American Academy of Pediatrics has recognized the risk of cow’s milk based formula and suggested that preterm babies only consume human milk, the manufacturers of cow’s milk based formulas like Similac or Enfamil have not added an NEC warning to their products.
By failing to add this life-threatening side effect to their warning labels, Abbott Laboratories (the manufacturer of Similac) and Mead Johnson & Company (the manufacturer of Enfamil) have caused countless unsuspecting parents to put their children at risk.
As a result, families who have been harmed by NEC or lost their newborns to this horrible disease have started filing lawsuits against Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson & Company.
Baby formula litigation has only recently begun, and because there are already so many claims, lawyers expect them to consolidate into multi-district litigation (MDL) in a U.S. District Court.
Parents across the country are filing product liability lawsuits for defective products (design defects) and failure to warn in Similac and Enfamil formulas, as well as wrongful death lawsuits in cases where the infant passed away, and lawsuits against hospitals that fed their babies Similac or Enfamil.
If your child was diagnosed with NEC or succumbed to the disease after consuming Similac and Enfamil, contact Shelton Davis for a free evaluation of your case. Our tried-and-true trial lawyers take on tough cases and have a strong track record of favorable settlements and verdicts.
We understand how hard things are right now, which is why we offer personalized and compassionate representation and FREE CONSULTATIONS.
Call us at (601) 228-3166 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation today and discuss your case with a team that won’t hesitate to fight for you.