I'm a mother of three kids ages 6,3 & 10 months old ,I've never really heard "WHY" I can't feed honey to my youngest; is it b/c they could choke? or is it b/c of something else????I useually mix honey in thier oatmeal.
2006-11-13 02:56:43 · 12 answers · asked by ~*meli$sa*~ 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
The concern is with infant botulism.
Botulinum spores are found widely in soil, dust, and honey. Adults who swallow botulinum spores are almost never affected. When infants swallow the spores, however, the spores can germinate in their immature gastrointestinal tracts and begin producing botulinum toxin. This has occurred even when the honey was only used to sweeten a pacifier (European Journal of Epidemiology, Nov 1993).
Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous natural substance known to man. The lethal dose is only 1/10,000,000 mg per kg of body weight -- an amount that would be invisible to the naked eye. This tiny amount in the blood stream can cause death within minutes through paralysis of the muscles used in breathing.
Infant botulism has been found on every continent except Africa. In the United States it is most common in the states of California, Utah, and Pennsylvania. While infant botulism can occur from taking in soil or dust (especially vacuum cleaner-bag dust), eating honey is the number one preventable cause. Corn syrups are not sterilized and may also be a source of contamination (The AAP Red Book, 2000).
Infant botulism can occur any time in the first year of life, but like SIDS it is most common in the first six months. In fact it has been suggested as the cause of death in up to 10% of SIDS cases (Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics; Saunders 1992).
Thankfully, in most instances of infant botulism, the amount of toxin is so incredibly minuscule that the case remains mild. For this reason it is often misdiagnosed.
2006-11-13 02:59:36 · answer #1 · answered by Sara 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
In an older child and adult, honey causing botulism would be no great cause for alarm. The immune system is strong enough to fend off anything that it may cause. But in a baby who's immune system is not yet fully developed, or someone who's immune system is compromised, the botulism can cause brain damage or even death. Hold off on honey until about the 2nd year for children and not at all to certain folks with immune problems.
2006-11-13 11:08:00 · answer #2 · answered by themom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not feed honey--cooked or uncooked--to babies under 12 months old. Honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism.
Kids older than 1 and adults can process the spores.
Here's a link to a page at the centers for disease control on botulism:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/aip/research/bot.html
2006-11-13 11:14:30 · answer #3 · answered by bookmom 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like some of the other answers, honey contains a mild form of botulism. If someone is over the age of one and has a normal immune system, he or she has enough immunities to tolerate it.
The danger with someone catching botulism is that it attacks the nervous system and paralizes the heart and lungs.
I've heard of cases of people and children catching botulism and it takes months for them to recover if it doesn't kill them.
2006-11-13 11:06:26 · answer #4 · answered by thisisraya 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bee pollen is a serious allergen, its in all forms of honey. Just like you wouldnt give your child peanut butter or strawberries before a certain age, you wouldnt give them honey to avoid causing an allergic reaction that lasts a lifetime.
2006-11-13 10:59:20 · answer #5 · answered by amosunknown 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can't feed uncooked honey to children under one because they can not break down something in the honey. Normally after one honey is fine.
2006-11-13 11:00:40 · answer #6 · answered by applecrisp 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Honey is fine to feed to a baby in food. Sometimes though a baby will get used to eating sweet food and not want to eat veggies and plainer food. Just remember to clean his gums and teeth after. The wrong thing to do with honey is to put it on a soother so a baby will suck on it, the honey will gather on the gum and teeth and cause tooth rot.
2006-11-13 11:03:25 · answer #7 · answered by zippy p 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I believe it's due to allergic reactions.
Check w/ your doctor-- I personally thought that it was okay to give honey to a 3 year old.
2006-11-13 10:59:30 · answer #8 · answered by Proud mother! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honey can cause botulism, a brain disease that can be fatal. That's why honey is not recommended for babies under one year old.
2006-11-13 10:58:21 · answer #9 · answered by economiss 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
i never heard that you cant feed your baby honey!
2006-11-13 11:09:00 · answer #10 · answered by Princess 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋