You may have been told or read about how you should not feed infants honey. Some of you may have questioned this, while others may have added this to a new line of the already lengthy list of foods you should not feed your baby.
So, why should you not feed infants under the age of one this delicious natural sweetener? Well, feeding your baby honey could put your child at risk of infant botulism. What is botulism? According to wisegeek.com, “Botulism is a type of paralytic illness which is often caused through consumption of contaminated food.” In simple terms, it is food poisoning. Though the disease is very rare, (around 100 cases of the illness are reported to the CDC per year), it is a very serious disease that could be fatal if left untreated. However, as one would assume, it would be wise to avoid illness as much as possible.
Botulinum spores are found throughout nature or in other sweeteners, such as maple syrup or corn syrup, but honey seems to harbor them the most. If you want to feed your child honey, buy pasteurized honey.
What are the symptoms of botulism? The earliest sign of this disease is constipation. The child also will exhibit nervous system damage, which is displayed as muscle weakness. Your child will seem limp, lethargic, will cry more weakly, have difficultly feeding, and more.
Try to avoid putting your child at risk, but if you do notice any of these symptoms, please seek medical help immediately.