Two children hospitalized in Tennessee due to baby formula shortage

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WZTV) — Two young children in Tennessee have been hospitalized because of the recent baby formula shortage across the United States.

FOX 13 Memphis reports two children were being treated at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital as a direct result of the shortage. One was released Tuesday.

The doctor who treated the children, Dr. Mark Corkins, is a pediatric gastroenterologist. He says in this case, both children have special medical needs that require them to use a specific formula. Neither doctors nor their families can find it on shelves.

Dr. Corkins said they’ve found ways to treat them, but it’s not a long-term solution.

“This is literally not just Memphis, not just Tennessee or the south. This is literally all of North America being affected,” Corkins said. “We are trying to do some different ‘doctoring’ formulas that aren’t usually used for this kind of situation and try to see if we can find something that will work.”

Dr. Corkins said he’s treated a toddler and a preschooler as a direct result of the shortage.

They both live with intestinal disorders and require a special kind of formula.

“They can’t absorb these other formulas, and they end up getting dehydrated and falling behind,” he said.

When their parents couldn’t find the formula on shelves, Dr. Corkins said they used a different kind, and their bodies didn’t tolerate the switch.

He said he treated the children with IV fluids and nutrients until the formula becomes available.

“This is the way we were practicing 30 years ago when I started in pediatric GI. Some of the modern breakthroughs we had are now unavailable,” he said.

Dr. Corkins said he expects more children will wind up in hospitals if action isn’t taken soon.

He’s calling on state and U.S. leaders to step up efforts to fix the issue.

“I would like to see somehow that our folks work to prevent this. I don’t want this to ever happen again,” Corkins said.