Henry County Public Health and Healthy Henry County are alerting families to a multistate outbreak of infant botulism linked to ByHeart Whole Nutrition powdered infant formula. A national recall has been issued, but officials caution that some product may still be in homes and in use.
Parents and caregivers are urged to immediately stop using any ByHeart Whole Nutrition formula, including all powdered varieties and single-serve packets. Officials emphasize that WIC formula supplies are not affected by this recall.
Signs of Infant Botulism
Early symptoms can be subtle, but may rapidly worsen. Parents should watch for:
- Constipation
- Difficulty feeding, such as trouble sucking or swallowing
- Loss of head control
- Weak facial expression
- Reduced muscle tone, which can progress to descending paralysis and potentially life-threatening respiratory failure
What to Do
If an infant shows any of these symptoms, families should contact their healthcare provider immediately. If symptoms appear after regular hours, take the child to the nearest emergency department and inform medical staff that botulism is suspected.
Henry County Public Health encourages families to check their formula supplies right away and stay alert for any updates regarding the recall.
For more information, families may contact their healthcare provider or Henry County Public Health.