You should not give honey to babies under 12 months old because it can contain Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness leading to muscle weakness and paralysis. While harmless to older children and adults, a baby's immature digestive system can't fight off these spores, allowing them to grow and produce a deadly toxin, so avoid honey in any form (including in foods) until after their first birthday.
Babies younger than 1 year old should not be given honey. That's because a type of bacteria (called Clostridium) that causes infant botulism can be found in honey. Infant botulism can cause muscle weakness, with signs like poor sucking, a weak cry, constipation, and decreased muscle tone (floppiness).
For the sake of prudence, people who are allergic to pollen or with severe seasonal allergies (hay fever) are not advised to eat raw honey. Grayanotoxin-containing honey may cause a burning sensation in the throat, and honey with bitter or astringent taste should be discarded.
Is honey safe for toddlers? After age 1, the risk of botulism is no longer an issue, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding added sugars for children under 2. Honey is natural, but it's still considered an added sugar, so you should avoid serving it until your child turns 2.
Avoid giving honey to babies less than 12 months of age and take care when preparing, handling and storing solid foods for babies.
Children under the age of 12 months are at risk of infant botulism if they are fed honey or anything with honey in it. Botulism spores can be found in honey; when swallowed, the spores develop into C. botulinum bacteria that make and release the neurotoxin.
Early signs of foodborne botulism are sudden weakness, fatigue, and dizziness (vertigo), often followed by blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, and trouble speaking, as the paralysis descends from the head downwards, affecting the eyes, face, and throat muscles first, with no fever. Gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, or constipation might also occur early on, and prompt medical care is crucial as it progresses to respiratory failure.
It can come from foods e.g. honey or poorly prepared meat (50% are type A), or from wounds (80% are type A). Often babies with infantile botulism have had honey ingestion. Many cases have no known cause, though, and are thought to be due to the inhalation of spores from dust.
Safety and side effects
The amount of botulism spores in raw honey is negligible and developed digestive systems are strong enough to cope with this. Once an infant reaches the age of 1 year or older, their intestines have matured to contain this balance of acids that help destroy and fight off any toxins that the botulism bacteria produce.
Diabetes: Using large amounts of honey might increase blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Honey contains sugar and should be used in moderation. Pollen allergies: Avoid honey if you are allergic to pollen. Honey, which is made from pollen, may cause allergic reactions.
Approximately 100 cases of infantile botulism are reported annually in the United States. Around 20% are linked to raw honey consumption, with most cases occurring in infants from immigrant families. In the majority of affected infants, the source of C. botulinum spores remains unidentified.
Proverbs 24:13-14
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. 14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
When your baby is just starting solid foods, don't serve whole, raw berries – they could be a choking hazard. Start off by serving your baby cooked, pureed berries with no extra ingredients. It's okay if you don't strain the seeds out of your baby's food – they're not a choking hazard.
Honey before 12 months
Honey given to children younger than 12 months may cause a severe food poisoning called botulism. Do not give your child honey before 12 months.
The only known prevention measure for infant botulism is to avoid feeding honey to infants 12 months of age or less. Breastfeeding may slow the onset of illness if it develops. The role of breast-feeding and formula-feeding as factors possibly predisposing to the development of illness remains unsettled.
Honey is a natural sweetener known for its health benefits but should not be mixed with certain foods as per Ayurveda. Avoid combining honey with hot water, garlic, cucumber, ghee, meat, fish, and hot milk to prevent digestive issues and the loss of its beneficial properties.
Packed with natural sugars, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, honey is considered a source of easily digestible energy. Honey is frequently added to dishes designed to support the spleen and stomach, which are the central organs of digestion and energy production in TCM theory.
Raw honey possesses nootropic effects, such as memory-enhancing effects, as well as neuropharmacological activities, such as anxiolytic, antinociceptive, anticonvulsant, and antidepressant activities.
In infants, honey has a very small link to a disease called infantile botulism. It is an illness that causes weak muscles. But, the good news is that it is rare. The risk to your baby is very small.
How long after infection do symptoms appear? Signs and symptoms of infant botulism may begin between 3 and 30 days after the toxin gets into an infant's body. If infant botulism is related to food, such as honey, problems generally begin within 18 to 36 hours after the toxin enters the baby's body.
The typical source of foodborne botulism is homemade food that is improperly canned or preserved. These foods are typically fruits, vegetables, and fish. Other foods, such as spicy peppers (chiles), foil-wrapped baked potatoes and oil infused with garlic, may also be sources of botulism.
Botulism symptoms may include the "4 Ds" – dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), diplopia (double vision), dry mouth, and dysarthria (difficulty articulating or hoarseness) as well as blurred vision and ptosis (drooping eyelids). A descending, symmetrical (rarely asymmetric) flaccid paralysis starts with facial muscles.
Foodborne botulism can happen by eating foods that have been contaminated with botulinum toxin. Common sources of foodborne botulism are homemade foods that have been improperly canned, preserved, or fermented. Though uncommon, store-bought foods also can be contaminated with botulinum toxin.
Botulism needs to be treated in hospital. The way it's treated depends on the type of botulism, but usually involves: neutralising the toxins with injections of special antitoxins or antibodies. supporting the functions of the body, such as breathing, until you recover.