DPHHS urges providers to monitor for lead poisoning in children
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News from DPHHS
MONTANA — Federal, state, and local officials are urging medical providers to lookout for possible cases of lead poisoning in children after at least 22 toddlers in 14 states were sickened as of Nov. 7, 2023, by lead linked to tainted pouches of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce.
The following were recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to reports of elevated levels of lead found in certain units of the products:
WanaBana brand apple cinnamon fruit purée pouches
Schnucks brand cinnamon applesauce pouches
Weis brand cinnamon applesauce pouches
Montana isn’t among the 14 states with confirmed cases, but the FDA and DPHHS said these products were sold at Dollar Tree stores in Montana prior to the recall and have been removed from 19 MT stores.
These products are also sold and available nationally through multiple retailers, including Amazon and other online outlets.
“If you think your child may have consumed recalled fruit pouches, you should talk to your child’s health care provider about getting a blood test for lead,” said Dr. Maggie Cook-Shimanek, Public Health Physician at DPHHS. “These products also have a long shelf life, so consumers are advised to check their homes and discard these products.”
There is no safe level of lead exposure, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses a marker of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter to identify children with blood lead levels higher than most.
The reported symptoms of children with lead poisoning may include, but not limited to, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a change in activity level and anemia.
Cook-Shimanek said children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults because their nervous systems are still developing. Although children with lead exposure may have no apparent acute symptoms, even low levels have been associated with learning, behavioral, and cognitive effects.
For more information, see the Nov. 13, 2023, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Advisory Network message or the FDA Nov. 14, 2023, News Release.
