Toxic Metals in Gerber and Nurture Baby Food Products Led To Autism Diagnosis, Lawsuit Claims
The mother of a child who received an autism diagnosis says toxic metals in popular baby food products led to the condition.
According to allegations raised in a lawsuit recently filed against Gerber Products Company and Nurture, Inc., a four year old child was diagnosed with autism after being fed contaminated baby food that was tainted with toxic metals.
The complaint (PDF) was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Ashley Scarlott, pursuing damages for herself and her minor child, identified only by the initials as R.S.
Scarlott indicates she unknowingly fed her child Nuture and Gerber baby food products that contained high levels of toxic heavy metals, which the manufacturers concealed from federal regulators and parents.
Over the past year, Gerber, Nurture and other manufacturers have faced a growing number of similar toxic baby food lawsuits brought by parents of children with autism or ADHD, following the release of a congressional report that found many popular products contain high levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, which may cause severe health problems and developmental challenges for children.
The U.S. Congressional report highlighted internal documents and testing products for baby food sold by Gerber (doing business as Nestlé Nutrition), Nurture, Beech-Nut Nutrition, Hain Celestial Group, Campbell, Sprout Organic Foods and other widely used products, finding that some baby foods contain high levels of toxic metals, with more than 91 times the maximum level of arsenic allowed in bottled water; 177 times the allowable levels of lead, 69 times the limits on cadmium, and five times the levels of allowable mercury.
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Toxic baby food sold by Gerber, Beech-Nut and other manufacturers contain dangerous levels of heavy metals, which may be the cause of autism and severe ADHD for children.
Learn More About this Lawsuit See If You Qualify For CompensationAccording to the baby food autism lawsuit filed by Scarlott, R.S. consumed “substantial quantities” of Nurture baby food products, sold under the Happy Family labels, as well as Gerber baby food products, which ultimately led to an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in February 2021, when the child was only three years and two months old.
“Based on prevailing scientific evidence, exposure to the Toxic Heavy Metals at the levels contained in Defendants’ Baby Foods can cause ASD in humans,” Scarlott’s lawsuit states. “Had any Defendant warned Plaintiff’s parents that Defendants’ Baby Foods could lead to exposure to Toxic Heavy Metals or, in turn, ASD, Plaintiff wound not have consumed the Baby Foods.”
Although the manufacturers continue to maintain their baby food is safe and appropriately labeled, the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long maintained that exposing infants and children to toxic heavy metals can cause a permanent decrease in IQ, an increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior, and untreatable and frequently permanent brain damage.
Heavy metal exposure to infants is a serious concern. Lead exposure at any level is extremely unsafe for children. Prior studies have linked heavy metal exposure to behavioral impairments, brain damage, damage to the nervous system, seizures, growth impairments, and even death.
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12 Comments
ChristianFebruary 18, 2024 at 2:29 am
My son Skyler, is almost 3 years old. We fed him baby food from about 4-5 months on from there. He didn’t eat solids when we tried changing him to regular food he would only eat baby food or bottle. And till this day he doesn’t eat solids. He only takes a bottle.
ChristinaDecember 14, 2022 at 11:28 am
I have to kids that was diagnosed with adhd. They had geber baby food and beachnut baby food. But my third child was not diagnosed with adhd. My second childsuffer with adhd well bad. Sometimes I think he is austim.
TriciaDecember 9, 2022 at 10:34 pm
My children are 7&8 and ate Gerber baby food from 3 months till a year old my son has ADHD and autism my daughter has non verbal autism
PennyNovember 30, 2022 at 7:08 pm
My 31 year old son began eating Gerber baby food when he was 5 months old until he was about 1 1/2 years old. He was diagnosed with ADHD in the 1st grade and what was know as Asperger’s (High functioning Autism) in high school. If you are a parent or pregnant couple reading this- I would not use their products for my child. There are so many connections that there might truly be a problem. The ad [Show More]My 31 year old son began eating Gerber baby food when he was 5 months old until he was about 1 1/2 years old. He was diagnosed with ADHD in the 1st grade and what was know as Asperger’s (High functioning Autism) in high school. If you are a parent or pregnant couple reading this- I would not use their products for my child. There are so many connections that there might truly be a problem. The ad you see on TV about the heavy metals in baby food- I called their number and Gerber is on their list, but the kids have to be born after 2007. Might want to be careful!
BarbaraNovember 24, 2022 at 9:37 pm
My son is almost 12, was diagnosed with autism at 2.5 and adhd at 6. He ate Gerber baby food and pouches.
SheilaNovember 24, 2022 at 8:20 pm
I'm so tired of hearing everyone's children have been harmed by yet another chemical and how many get to sue and how much money they gonna get... rediculusness put them crap staines in prison they act like its normal just pay the people...when if anyone else were to poison that many children we would go to prison for life or in some places b taken out permanently... But because they have money the[Show More]I'm so tired of hearing everyone's children have been harmed by yet another chemical and how many get to sue and how much money they gonna get... rediculusness put them crap staines in prison they act like its normal just pay the people...when if anyone else were to poison that many children we would go to prison for life or in some places b taken out permanently... But because they have money they get away with mass murder after a strenuous life just sad and unfair
VanessaNovember 21, 2022 at 4:32 pm
My son is now 25 years old, he was feed Gerber foods, from the baby food, to the mixed berry dry cereal mixed with his baby milk. He showed signs of Autism, until diagnosed by his doctors at the age of 2. I wondered why my son didn't speak until getting speech therapy once he was in school.
LynseaNovember 16, 2022 at 10:09 am
My son is 2 and was recently diagnosed with Autism this past year and Gerber baby food is the only baby food brand that he ever ate. He showed no symptoms prior to starting baby food.
LindaNovember 15, 2022 at 3:44 pm
My son is 34 years old...he was fed Gerber and Beechnut baby foods while a child of 6-12 months old. I had as long tried to nurse him, but was still working and unable to sustain nursing him. My son, Karl, now lives in a group home, cannot communicate, and has no future of employment. I cannot prove that this is the reason he has brain damage and Autism, but perhaps it did contribute to this dev[Show More]My son is 34 years old...he was fed Gerber and Beechnut baby foods while a child of 6-12 months old. I had as long tried to nurse him, but was still working and unable to sustain nursing him. My son, Karl, now lives in a group home, cannot communicate, and has no future of employment. I cannot prove that this is the reason he has brain damage and Autism, but perhaps it did contribute to this devistating disability. Thank you,
VirginiaNovember 12, 2022 at 8:31 pm
Wow
JasonNovember 12, 2022 at 11:06 am
My son is 10 years old and was diagnosed with ASD when he was 3 yrs old . We definitely fed him gerber and beechnut baby foods and one day he just refused to eat solids and even to this day will only take in fluids . Hope these companies will be held responsible for poisoning children all these years .
JoshuaNovember 1, 2022 at 7:44 pm
Son was diagnosed with autism He is now 13 At the age of 5 was diagnosed with aspergers And definitely ate the baby food