Two children hospitalised in Memphis because of formula shortage, says doctor

Youngsters being looked after at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

Two children were hospitalised in Memphis as a direct result of the nationwide baby formula shortage, according to a doctor in the city.

Both children have intestinal conditions which require them to be fed a particular kind of formula and are now being looked after at the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

The youngsters, one of whom is a toddler and another pre-school age, both reacted badly when their parents were unable find the required formula, officials say.

“This is a crisis for us in healthcare. This is not every child, not normal children, but literally, the formula recall has led to these children requiring hospitalisation,” Dr Mark Corkins, a paediatric gastroenterologist at the hospital told Action News 5.

The news station said that the brand of formula they needed had not been revealed, and that both were being treated with IV fluid and extra nutrition until the formula is back on shelves.

Baby formula shelves are now bare in stores across the country as the Biden administration tries to get a grip on the situation.

The Abbott Nutrition plant linked to the shortage of baby formula struck a deal to resume operations within two weeks, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Abbott entrered a consent decree with the FDA on Monday, which if court-approved sets out the steps the company needs to carry out to resume production at the Michigan factory.

It is the largest US manufacturing plant for baby formula and has been closed since February after complaints of bacterial infection in four hospitalised infants, two of whom died.

Reckitt Benckiser has increased its baby formula production by about 30 per cent and making more frequent deliveries to stores as tries to help improve the situation.

House Democrats introduced a $28m bill to address the shortage on Tuesday, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that charges could be brought over the crisis.