As reported previously by Joint Council on International Children's Services, a number of infants in China have been adversely affected by contaminated milk powder. Joint Council has created the FAQs below in response to concerns voiced by its member organizations. The American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Adoption and Foster Care will be meeting in October to discuss this issue further.
FAQs:
1) Why is this formula causing problems?
Infants have
been sickened by Melamine, a toxic chemical that was added to milk to help
boost the appearance of protein. Melamine is used in plastics, fertilizers and
flame retardants. It has no nutritional value but is high in nitrogen, which
makes the products appear to have higher protein content than they actually do.
Suppliers to the dairy companies that produced the tainted baby formula have
been accused of adding the chemical to watered-down milk.
2) How many children are affected?
According to a
survey conducted by the Half the Sky Foundation in 41 Chinese institutions, a
number of children are affected, although the number is probably less than 5%
of those who received the tainted formula.
3) What are the symptoms of Melamine poisoning?
The
affected infants primarily have uric acid kidney stones and not interstitial
nephritis. If a child is affected, the symptoms would likely be lethargy and
poor feeding, along with bloody urine. For kidney stones, it would be discomfort
and bloody urine, though the condition could be asymptomatic.
4) What is China doing about the problem?
The Chinese
Ministry of Civil Affairs has been working to provide guidance to all the
institutions that house infants in China. According to the Ministry, a letter
was sent out to all orphanages as soon as the crisis was recognized. Orders were to have all children examined at local
hospitals, and the government will cover all costs, including any necessary
treatment. All orphanages using identified tainted brands have changed to either fresh milk or to a brand that has been identified as
safe.
5) Which Chinese orphanages were affected?
Tianjin CWI was using Sanlu, among other brands. Forty children were drinking Sanlu and of those, 2 were diagnosed to have kidney stones.
Xinyang CWI was using Sanlu exclusively. 43 children were taken to
hospital and 2 have been diagnosed to have kidney stones.
Yiyang SWC was using Sanlu exclusively. All children were taken to hospital and 5 were diagnosed to have kidney stones.
Maoming CWI was using Sanlu among other brands. All children were
examined and 2 were diagnosed to have kidney stones.
Nanjing, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Guiyang, Guangzhou, Luoyang, Nanchang and Qingyuan were using affected brands but the children were examined and are
all right.
None of the children with kidney stones is seriously ill. All are being treated. Most of the other institutions were using non-affected brands.
6) What can parents do when visiting their child in China?
Those
parents who see bloody urine should be concerned. In China, children who
exhibit symptoms of melamine poisoning - such as blood in the urine and trouble
with kidney function - can have kidney ultrasounds to see if kidney stones are
present, as an x-ray would not visualize these.
7) What can parents do after returning home with their child?
In the US, a urinalysis and kidney ultrasound would be
advisable, along with perhaps a BUN/creatinine to look at the kidney function.
Parents should consult with their adoption medical specialist.
Dr. Elaine Schulte of the Children's Hospital, Cleveland Clinic has kindly
agreed to work with any family who is looking for a pre-adoption consultation.