Miller & Zois, Attorneys At Law, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, are representing families nationwide in filing lawsuits on behalf of their children under the age of six who have allegedly developed autism due to the consumption of certain baby foods which contain toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and cadmium.
According to the law firm, in May 2024, a new toxic baby food lawsuit was filed in federal court in California from a plaintiff who claimed their 2-and-a-half-year-old child was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, “a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave,” the National Institute of Mental Health noted.
The plaintiffs alleged that their child began to develop Autism Spectrum Disorder shortly after they consumed baby food products from various companies, including Hain Celestial Group Inc., Beech-Nut Nutrition Company and Gerber, starting around 2021.
Per Miller & Zois, the lawsuit claimed these products were contaminated with toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury, causing brain injuries, which lead to ASD and related conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a neuro-developmental disorder that affects both children and adults, characterized by difficulty in paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The plaintiff asserted that the companies failed to warn about these risks, resulting in significant harm.
Additionally, in May 2024, the Fifth Circuit ruled against Whole Foods Market Inc. in a similar lawsuit involving heavy metals in products from Hain Celestial Group Inc., alleging brain damage to a Texas toddler who exclusively consumed Hain Celestial Group Inc.’s Best Organic products. The child, who the family says was born healthy, allegedly experienced regression in developmental milestones, leading to various physical and mental disorders, after they consumed Best Organic items.
While research has suggested a potential link between autism and elevated levels of heavy metals in the bodies of young children, further studies are required to validate these findings. It’s important to understand that heavy metal exposure alone is unlikely to be the sole determinant of autism. Rather, it is believed to be one of several contributing factors. Total Care Therapy notes that genetics, environmental toxins and immune system dysfunction can also contribute significantly to the development of autism in children.
A 2021 study found dangerous levels of heavy metals in baby food products.
The shocking allegations relate to a February 2021 report from the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, U.S. House of Representatives, which revealed alarming levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in popular baby food brands from Hain Celestial Group Inc., Beech-Nut Nutrition Company, Gerber and several other well-known companies.
The regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for inorganic arsenic, lead, and cadmium in bottled water are 10 ppb, 5 ppb, and 5 pubs respectively, while the Environmental Protection Agency has limited mercury levels in drinking water to 2 ppb. However, the test discovered toxic heavy metal results from some of the aforementioned brands that greatly exceeded FDA standards, with some containing up to 91 times the arsenic limit, 177 times the lead limit, 69 times the cadmium limit, and 5 times the mercury limit in many cases.
