An 11-month-old baby from Spain was diagnosed with a very rare case called scurvy and the doctors believe that his almond-based diet caused it. Now, doctors are reminding parents that there is no best substitute for breastmilk.
According to a report of Reuters, the baby was fed with a cow milk-based formula for the first 2 and a half months of his life. But his diet was changed after he developed skin rashes. He switched to an almond-based mixture and consumed about 30 ounces or more daily.
By the time the baby turned 6 months, his mother tried to feed him with vegetables and fruits but the baby refused to take any. When the baby turned 7 months, his mother noticed he could sit on his own without any support. But one month later, his sitting became unstable and he was not interacting anymore.
When the baby turned 11 months, the mother said he seemed to be healthy but beginning to be irritable and always tired. They also noticed the baby cries if someone touches his legs. He was later taken to a hospital and discovered he had femur fractures and was diagnosed with scurvy, an illness caused by insufficient vitamin C.
After the diagnosis, the parents were advised to replace his diet with infant formula and a healthy variety of foods. The baby was also placed under vitamin C and D therapy. One month later, the doctors observed that the baby's health was improving and the levels of his vitamin C and D had normalized.
Two months later, since the cutting of his almond diet, Dr. Isidro Vitoria of the Hospital Universitario y Politecnico La Fe in Valencia wrote in its report that the baby has started walking. The author then reiterated that in the baby's first year of life, parents should opt for breast milk or infant formula as it contains more Vitamin C than any other formula.
