HALIFAX -- A Nova Scotia mother is asking for help to find the only formula her one-year-old son can consume.
Amari Millen has a severe allergy to proteins found in milk, called cow’s milk protein allergy or CMPA.
Amari’s mother, Shelby Millen, found a formula he can stomach called PURAMINO. The formula is $60 a can and lasts between a day-and-a-half and two days.
“It’s specifically for kids that have severe CMPA,” says Millen.
“It just takes the aminos and breaks them down the same way your body would, so he doesn’t have to.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic set in, Millen tried to order extra formula. However, she says the supplier wouldn't allow the purchase.
Now, Millen is running out.
“I have enough to do maybe three more bottles, four bottles,” she says.
Millen looked everywhere for Amari's special formula. With the help of her pharmacist, she found some on Amazon. The shipment was due April 16, but didn't arrive.
Millen says panic has now set in.
“We’ve called reps, we have called the IWK, we’ve spoken to different clinics around that have people who come in and sell different products to see if they have it at home. We have posted in every single mom group we can find,” says Millen.
Luckily, at one-year-old, Amari can be given some solid foods, but it's not enough to sustain him.
“If anybody has any out there that they could give us a can or two, we will replace it when we get ours in. I will pay anything for it. If anybody has any knowledge that I don’t, please reach out, that would be amazing,” says Millen.
Anyone with information about accessing the formula can reach out to Millen via her Facebook page.
Correction:
Editor's note: An employee for the company that makes PURAMINO told CTV News that production had been shut down, and that information was included in a previous version of this article. The company that makes PURAMINO, later contacted CTV News to say that production has not been shut down.
