Formula scare puts parents on high alert

The health department in one U. S. state just told parents to pull a specific brand of baby formula from kitchen shelves. They say three babies in different parts of the country got sick after drinking the product. The company behind it agreed to recall every container still on store racks or in homes.

Doctors say symptoms can take weeks to show up. When they do, the baby may get sluggish, stop gaining weight, or seem too tired to feed normally. These signs aren’t common in infants, but when they appear, parents should act fast because the illness can become life-threatening. Doctors also remind everyone that washing bottles and mixing tools with hot soapy water is always a good habit, especially when a product is under suspicion. Officials want families to keep any opened cans and to write down the batch number and expiry date. That way, if tests show the formula was contaminated, health workers can trace exactly who needs to be checked. They also have a hotline for people who want answers without rushing to the hospital.

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