Parents convicted in son's death linked to alternative diet

[HAB911]

DENDERMONDE, Belgium -- A Belgian court has convicted two parents for their part in the death of their infant, who succumbed to malnutrition and dehydration because they were firm believers in alternative diets.

The court gave both a suspended six-month sentence Wednesday because they failed to take adequate action to take care of baby Lucas, who died with organs shrunk to half their size and without any fat around them.

Britain's Independent newspaper reported, the seven-month-old baby died weighing just 9lbs after his parents fed him an alternative gluten-free, lactose-free diet.

According to local media, the parents of baby Lucas ran a natural food store in the town of Beveren in Belgium. They were attempting to raise their son on an alternative diet that included quinoa milk. Doctors had warned that such a diet is generally unsuitable for such young children.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/belgian-convicts-alternative-diet-parents-in-death-of-baby-lucas/

[mucifer]

1. Just a reminder. There are lots of vegan women who breastfeed their healthy children.

Once in a blue moon there is a case of a parent or parents who feed their infant plant based milk who die and it's all over the news. If those mothers would have breast fed their child it's not an issue.

[uppityperson]

2. That was my first thought also. The infant grew inside her from her body, why not breastfeed

after birth?

[mucifer]

3. The vast majority of vegans do that. But, as with omnivore parents there are always a very

tiny percentage who are neglectful and their children die. It can happen with vegans and it happens with omnivores.

The difference is that when it happens those few times with vegans who don't breast feed people use that as arguments against us and many believe we are care more about animals than we do about our babies.
But, if they used logic they would know that there would be so many many more infant deaths in the vegan community if they were correct in their belief that we can't have healthy kids.

[Warpy]

5. Not every mother can breastfeed

and there are a variety of reasons for it including a baby who just can't or won't. Most of them are sensible enough to realize that infants are designed to digest lactose and feed them a commercial formula designed for human infant nutrition, whether or not they're vegans.

These people were clearly ignorant zealots who thought they knew it all and refused to listen to medical advice. This is one verdict I agree with and hope they're in jail until their breeding years are over.

[lunasun]

4. I am in the US but my milk said on the box "Not to be used as infant formula"

when I just went to check . Because I remember seeing this for a long time on alternative milks

Seven months ...what happened to natural breast feeding? Even partially just adding a grain in a diet any diet one is getting fat that is easily absorbed from the frequent breast milk feedings and although the baby was at a transition age where one starts to add to the diet, there are plenty of first stage offerings for allergic babies to start around that period
If one can not breast feed at all then appropriate infant formulas are available that are non lactose and there are formulas for almost all allergies
https://www.target.com/p/similac-alimentum-infant-formula-powder-with-iron-12-1oz/-/A-11056301?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=t&location=9021662&gclid=CI30j-38v9QCFQMdaQodP7gInw&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://www.who.int/features/qa/21/en/