The baby formula shortage is a source of extreme stress and expense for both families and health care systems. Dr. Jeff Seiden oversees the CHOP pediatric emergency department at Virtua Voorhees Hospital. He says while most hospitals do have a supply set aside for new parents, they’re also trying to be mindful about reserving it for certain families, especially families who can’t get it by themselves or for whatever medical reason need a specialized formula that only the hospital can provide, especially babies in the NICU.
“In the hospital most babies in the NICU are either premature or have special needs. These babies need special care formula. Premature babies need formula that is high in calories or increased in protein, because that is what they need for those micro preemies to grow,” said Seiden.
Dr. Diane Calello, executive and medicinal director of NJ Poison Control Center at Rutgers University Medical School, says one of the primary concerns, aside from parents having trouble finding the formula they need for infants, is what not to do when they try to figure out alternatives to their regular formula.
“What we have seen at the poison center in the past is when parents with good intentions make the wrong choice in either try to make their own formula or give their infant (something) that isn’t baby formula. That is when we get involved because it ends up resulting in illness,” said Calello.
