Q:
Word has it that the Chinese milk poisoning – containing the stuff called Melamine , used to make plastics and fertilizer, and is making babies sick in China has spread into the USA. Have you seen this in your ER? What signs should a parent look for if they have fed this formula to their baby?
A:
Fortunately, I have not seen or heard of a case of melamine poisoning in any emergency department locally. My understanding is that the melamine was added to milk products in Chinese factories only, apparently to make the milk appear to have more protein. There have been multiple recalls associated with this problem, and many Chinese children have been sickened by it, but no children in the United States. One of the biggest concerns is infant formula that is produced and sold in China. The FDA states that no manufacturer or distributor of infant formula in the US are getting their milk products from Chinese manufacturers, so they should be safe. However, there is concern that some illegal formulas sold at ethnic stores could be contaminated. Obviously these should be avoided. More information can be found here www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/milky-melamine.html as well.
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