NEC Baby Formula

When what starts as a joyful experience with a baby ends in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU), families are left crushed and wondering about their options. We help the families of premature babies who develop necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after drinking cow’s-milk-based formula or fortifier.

NEC is the most common cause of infant mortality in premature babies from day 15 to 60. NEC is a devastating intestinal disease that usually affects premature and low birth weight babies. Babies with NEC often only live hours or days after diagnosis, and when they survive, they endure lifelong health complications.

NEC Symptoms

Necrotizing enterocolitis NEC causes the lining of the baby’s intestines to become inflamed, leading to tissue damage or tissue death. Intestinal inflammation can lead to a hole in the intestinal wall (bowel perforation) that leaks dangerous bacteria into the baby’s abdomen and can cause a serious and even deadly infection.

Infants with NEC exhibit these symptoms and complications:

• Poor feeding
• Bloating
• Decreased activity
• Bloody stool
• Vomiting bile
• Trouble breathing
• Feedings that stay in the stomach instead of moving through the intestines
• Bowel death
• Multiorgan failure
• Death

Causes of NEC

The exact cause of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is unclear. The primary risk factors include:

• Formula feeding
• Low birth weight
• Prematurity
• Intestinal dysbiosis

Several recent reports have shown that premature babies fed cow’s-milk-based formula or fortifiers, including Similac® and Enfamil®, are at an increased risk for developing NEC. NEC rarely occurs before a newborn’s initial feeding. Unfortunately, these infant formula manufacturers do not include a warning on their product labels cautioning parents of the risks.

Treatment for NEC

Babies diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) have lifelong digestive and neurological complications and sometimes cerebral palsy. NEC treatments are brutal for families already in distress from the injury itself. To treat NEC, health care providers will

• Stop all feedings
• Insert a large tube through the baby’s esophagus and into the stomach to keep it empty
• Administer antibiotics
• X-ray the baby’s abdomen at regular intervals to detect abnormal gas patterns
• Surgically remove dead portions of the intestine that show up on X-rays

NEC trauma and complications last a lifetime and affect the entire family. The financial impact of ongoing treatments and therapies is also severe.

Compensation Available in NEC Cases

Babies who suffer from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) caused by dangerous infant formula typically receive several elements of damages awards.

• Medical bills for the initial hospitalization
• Future medical bills, rehabilitation, and therapy
• Future lost income of the child
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of consortium

The impact of NEC far surpasses the initial sickness and treatment. Babies diagnosed with NEC will have long term medical and therapeutic expenses that can be financially devastating. Long term costs that should be considered in your damages model include:

• Physical, cognitive, and other therapies
• Ongoing medical care
• Special needs schools
• Specialized caregivers
• Assistive devices
• Home remodeling to accommodate disabilities

Qualifying for Compensation

Impacted families may be entitled to compensation if their baby

• Was born premature (before 37 weeks)
• Was given Similac® or Enfamil® in the hospital
• Was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
• Has experienced complications such as surgeries to treat or repair short bowel syndrome (SBS), intestinal perforations, or brain damage

How to pay the costs associated with necrotizing enterocolitis is usually an immediate concern for families whose babies are sent to NICU for NEC. If your baby was diagnosed with NEC after taking Similac® or Enfamil® infant formula, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your losses.

Contact the experienced and compassionate lawyers at DLG For Me today because your time to file a claim is limited. We don’t take a fee unless you win.