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California boy hospitalized due to baby formula shortage

La Mesa boy hospitalized due to baby formula shortage
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SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A majority of San Diego markets have baby formula in stock, but only one will work for Mindy Rubio’s son.

“It’s called Enfagrow: toddler formula, natural milk flavor,” Rubio said.

Four-year-old Grayson Rubio has an avoidant restrictive eating disorder that prevents him from getting nutrition anywhere else.

“A lot of kids with this condition have to have a feeding tube. Our saving grace to keep him from that is formula," Rubio said.

Rubio said this formula has helped him live a healthy life. It was never an issue until last week.

“It was time to buy it and we just couldn’t find it anywhere," Rubio said.

She searched every local market and online but they were out of stock or had delays in shipping.

“I tried buying every brand of formula and some kind of a substitution and he just wouldn’t drink it," Rubio said.

Grayson was dehydrated and malnourished after two days without food. That’s when she took him to the emergency room.

“He lost a couple pounds, was pale, dark circles," she said.

Rubio posted to Facebook as a last resort. Suddenly, mothers across the globe reached out to help.

“Somebody I don’t know in Arkansas, she was nice enough to allow me to purchase it and she’s going to ship it to us," Rubio said.

Thanks to a few friends and strangers, Rubio said Grayson will be discharged soon. She’s working with specialists to find a different solution to Grayson’s disorder.

This article was written by Perla Shaheen for KGTV.