Key points:
- If your baby has consumed recalled formula and is acting normally, no ER visit is needed. Monitor carefully for symptoms of botulism.
- Symptoms can take several weeks to develop.
- Constipation alone is not an indication that your baby has botulism.
- Key neurodegenerative symptoms of botulism include floppiness, loss of tone, difficulty feeding, facial drooping, and difficulty breathing.
- There is no test available “just in case.” Stool samples tested by health departments often return results long after treatment has begun.
- Hospitals are equipped to give BabyBIG® (botulism immune globulin), an IV treatment that dramatically improves recovery when given early.
In the last couple of days, we’ve had a lot of concerns about botulism linked to recalled organic infant formulas, and we wanted to address them here.
All ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products and lots have been recalled, and, as of November 14th, 23 infants have been reported with symptoms of botulism after consuming ByHeart formula, including infants in California. No deaths have been reported as of the 14th.
If your baby has consumed ByHeart formula and is acting normally, no ER visit is needed. Stop using ByHeart immediately and learn about the signs and symptoms of botulism to watch out for.
What is botulism?
Infant botulism is rare and can be fatal. When it does occur, it tends to develop slowly and quietly over several days. The earliest symptoms can be subtle, and many healthy infants exhibit some of them in everyday life. What matters most is the pattern and the neurologic changes.
Symptoms that do not require an ER visit
- Constipation alone
Most infants experience constipation at some point; this is not a sign of botulism by itself. - A fussy day, mild gassiness, or a “weird” poop
Common, normal, and expected.
Signs and symptoms that do require urgent evaluation
If your child has consumed a formula product included in a botulism advisory and you begin to see signs and symptoms of botulism, including neurological changes, go to the emergency room immediately. These include:
- Increasing floppiness, poor head control, or reduced muscle tone
- Weak suck, gagging, or difficulty feeding
- Poor cry or a cry that becomes softer over time
- Facial weakness, facial droop, or drooping eyelids
- Flatness in facial expressions
- Noticeable loss of energy, alertness, or interaction
- Less movement in arms or legs compared to baseline
- Difficulty breathing
Treatment
Botulism is treatable, but timing matters. If a baby shows neurologic signs, hospitals are equipped to give BabyBIG® (botulism immune globulin), an IV treatment that dramatically improves recovery when given early.
About testing (and why it isn’t a screening tool)
There is no test available for parents or outpatient clinics to check “just in case.”
Hospitals test stool samples only after symptoms begin, and public health departments do those tests for epidemiological tracking, not for real-time decision-making.
The key point: By the time test results return, treatment will have already been given if clinically indicated.
Our advice
- If your baby has simply consumed a formula mentioned online and is acting normally, no ER visit is needed.
- If your baby develops progressive, neurologic, slowly worsening symptoms, go to the ER.
- If you’re unsure where a symptom falls on the spectrum, call us. We’d rather talk through it with you than have you worry alone.
