50,000 Children Now Hospitalized in China Due to Tainted Formula/Milk

Providing your children with the foundation of nutrition is important to any family.  No matter what country in the world you live in, it is priority to make sure children are getting the nutrition they need.  For many milk is one of those staples we have on hand to help our children grow.  Many mothers choose or in some cases are not capable of nursing, so they uses baby formula.  As children ween from their mothers they often supplement with formula.  The majority of families being ht with this disaster are poor.  They were formula feeding because the mother had to go to work and they were financially forced to purchase non-imported formula.  So, I can only imagine the horror that so many families are gong through in China today.

As of this morning, over 50,000 children are hospitalized, there are 4 deaths reported and about 140 children are in critical condition.  China has seen over 30,000 more children in the hospital sent home with claims that they are doing better.

The current Food and Drug Chief in China has resigned.  This horrific incident occurred on his watch as well as the lead-based toy scandal and the dog food that killed pets around the world including the United States.  I was sad to learn that this is not the first incident in China regarding baby formula.  Four years ago another company made formula with out any nutrients in it killing 12 children.

There are several companies that are a part of this growing problem.  Due to the high cost of feed and maintenance of the dairy cows and farms farmers and companies have been adding melamine to the milk products.  Melamine contains nitrogen which registers as a nutrient in testing.  Melamine is used in making plastics.  It causes kidney stones and is extremely toxic to children.  Their little bodies just cannot handle it and many suffer from not just kidney stones but kidney failure.

China has arrested a number of individuals including 12 more within the last couple of days.  The government is attempting to say that they are on top of the crisis, but many are infuriated and what answers on how they got to this point to begin with.  China spent millions of dollars and worked hard to place a new face on China of one that is capable of competing and being respected by the rest of the world, but after this nightmare has China not only tarnished its image, I am pretty sure that the Olympics are a faded memory.  Putting on a great party is one thing.  Protecting your citizens is quite another.  This is a scandal that has not only cost money, but lives of the very young.  Those who do not have a voice require those to speak for them.

This would be such a larger story if it were not for the financial turmoil the United States is currently facing, but none the less this crisis worth educating yourself about.

Read more on MSNBC and NPR.