DHA/ARA in formula can make reflux worse

[Anonymous]

The synthetic DHA/ARA in infant formula created by Martek industries using a neurotoxin chemical (hexane) and algae and mold has been linked to reflux, seizures, apnea and gastrointestinal upset in some babies . . .

Cornucopia article with FDA complaints regarding Reflux, seizures, apnea and gastro issues due to DHA/ARA:

http://www.Cornucopia.org/DHA

An article from last year where Martek responds to DHA/ARA concerns:
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Industry/No-need-to-ban-DHA-and-ARA-says-Martek

I filed a complaint with the FDA and Cornucopia Institute;
I also filed a complaint with Martek Industries – here are the details of our journey in my complaint:

My daughter was born on 11/26/08. We tried breastfeedng but due to heath complications were forced to switch to formula. At 2 weeks my daughter would often stop breathing in her sleep, and was having various other serious health conditions. She cried constantly, couldn’t sleep at all due to gastrointestinal upset, etc. The doctor said she had severe infant reflux and she was put on medication – at first Zantac and it was later switched to Prevacid. She was also put on an expensive hypoallegenic formula – Similac Alimentum, which has your DHA/ARA prodcut (as did her initial Similac formula).

On 12/22/08 she was admitted to children’s hospital for what appeared to be seizures. She had a cat scan and an eeg. It was ruled that it was a complication of her severe reflux.

On 12/29/08 she was once again admitted to children’s hosptial – this time because she stopped breathing and turned blue. She was then placed on an apnea monitor.

Altough our doctor said it would not help – we decided to try neocate. We got some free samples from a friend and the samples DID NOT have dha/ara – in order to make the transition we mixed the neocate with the alimentum that she was on and alimentum contains dha/ara. She did slightly better – which at the time we attributed to the neocate but we would soon learn was from the decrease in the amount of DHA/ARA she was receiving due to the mixture.

However, we wanted her to have the dha/ara as it has been so aggressively marketed as essential to our child’s development so we then got the neocate with the dha/ara in it. Suddenly it seemed like we were back at square one – she cried nonstop daily, couldn’t sleep, etc. The amount of pain and distress that she was in was phenomenal. I once again got some infant neocate and accidentally got the kind without dha/ara in it. Since we were no longer mixing it with the alimentum that had some dha/ara in it – I went on line to see if there was a supplement we could give her. That is when I stumbled across the Cornucopia report regarding the adverse reactions to DHA/ARA. It sounded just like my baby. So . . . we went ahead and tried the straight neocate without the dha/ara in it. Within 24 hours we had a brand new, entirely different baby. She had no abdominal distress, no gas, she smiled and played and for the first time ever we heard her laugh.

She has now been off the dha/ara formula for almost 2 weeks and the transformation is remarkable. Her reflux is much milder, so mild in fact that she does not require the medication for it. All other problems have completely resolved. We now know 100% that the dha/ara added to infant formula has caused the following:
–>our child’s near death at around 6 weeks
–>continual abdonimal pain and distress, exagerrated reflux, sleep apnea
–>2 admissions to children’s hospital and over $5,000 in medical bills to us
–>developmental delays during the first 3 months of her life as she was in such distress that she could not do normal baby things

We have contacted the FDA and Cornocupia institute to file formal complaints. I have told the Cornocopia institute that I will gladly go to the press and lobby congress for our babies health and safety. I have gone on line to every mothering forum that I can to let them know of your organization and the DHA/ARA issue and have asked them to also file complaints if their child had reactions to the DHA/ARA. If I could, I would sue your organization for the cost of our medical bills for our child – but there is no compensation for the emotional toll it has taken on our entire family, nor for the distress that it caused my vulnerable baby.

If you are going to add anything to an infant formula – it should be natural and rigurously tested. The use of the neurotoxin hexane to create a synthetic form of DHA/ARA out of algae and mold is completely ridiculous. If there are known adverse reactions – that information should be given to doctors and parents so that they can make different decisions for their child’s health and safety.

Newborn babies and infants are an extremely vulnerable population and they can not advocate for themselves – they can not and should not be used as a nutritional experiment and their health, safety and development should be placed above any financial concerns. If your organization fails to respond appropriately to these concerns then future society will hold you accountable as many drug companies and the tobacco industry find themselves being held accountable today. I hope that everyone who is in the position to affect babies and infants will do so for the right reasons, not for profit and with disregard to safety concerns.

If you have had a similar experience and want to file a complaint . . .

FDA: [email protected]

Cornucopia Institute: [email protected]

Martek Industries (that manufacture the DHA/ARA in infant formula): [email protected] ; [email protected]

So far I have had feedback from over 30 other families that their babies also reacted to the DHA/ARA in their formula and one mother had a ped tell her NOT to use a formula with this supplement in it due to reactions his patients have had.

It may not be a total answer for all of us (Scout DOES still have mild reflux) – but it does seem to be an answer for some.

Karen

[Anonymous]

very interesting! i always thought the dha/ara in the formulas bothered my son but everyone told me that was ridiculous. thanks!

[Anonymous]

Wow….that’s wonderful……! hey guy it’s really an interesting concern,I appreciate with the info.

Thanks for sharing
hellbennt2011-01-03 14:12:22

[Author]

Posts