Honey is not recommended for babies below twelve months of age and may cause botulism in them. Read on to learn more about the harmful effects of giving honey to babies.Honey is widely regarded as a healthy food which can be administered to all without worry. Very often one uses honey in place of
sugar. But pediatricians advise parents to avoid giving honey to babies who are less than twelve months old.
From old times, mothers and grandmothers have recommended honey as a medicine for cough and cold. As a matter of fact, it is preferred over cough syrups. It is not rare for mothers to give honey to their babies if they catch cold. Many mother feed their babies honey and tulsi in the winter months to avoid infection. However, giving honey to small babies many not to be safe. Let us learn more about the harmful effects of giving honey to babies.
Administration of Honey
Honey is not at all safe for babies below twelve months of age. Most of pediatricians advise against
feeding honey to a child below twelve months.
Indian mothers have a tendency of including honey in their baby’s’ diet from their very birth. This is something advised against by pediatricians. It is advisable to talk to your doctor before feeding your infant honey, whatever maybe the reasons. You may think that a little honey to soothe cough is better than chemical syrups, but honey can have dangerous effects on your infant.
What Can Happen?
Honey is said to contain a sort of spore known as clostridium botulinum. These spores can cause a condition known as botulism in your infant. Doctors say that due to parents’ ignorance around sixty five percent kid’s cases are diagnosed with botulism.
One cannot say for sure if the honey contains or does not contain these spores. It depends on many environmental conditions. It is practically impossible to say for sure that a particular region’s honey is pure and safe for infants. Therefore parents are generally advised against feeding their infants honey.
What is Botulism?
It is always good to be aware so let us see what the nature of the disease is. These botulinum spores are contained in some soils. The flowers that grow on these soils naturally absorb these spores and it is present in their nectar. As the bees feed on the nectar of such flowers, the honey is infected by it. The bees deposit the infected honey in the hive and the whole honey gets infected by these spores. When such honey is consumed it causes botulism in infants.
Such infected honey when given to infants easily affects them, unlike adults. Their weak intestines are unable to digest the bacteria. While the same honey does not affect an adult, it affects an infant. Botulism is a kind of muscle paralysis and is a dangerous illness as it can threaten the life of your infant. It causes problems in breathing and eating once the bacteria spreads.
What are the Signs of Botulism?
One of the first signs is restricted bowel movement. If your baby is not defecating properly take them to the doctor. Babies affected by botulism stop eating and drinking. They lose their appetite. Their face is often blank and their cries are weak. Affected babies do not move much and show less activity. They also have difficulty in breathing and swallowing.
What Can You Do?
Avoid feeding honey to infants below 12 months. Talk to your doctor about alternative natural medicines. If your infant is afflicted by botulism immediately start their treatment. Even
foods containing honey should not be given. The bacteria cannot be destroyed simply by heating. Avoid giving anything like corn syrup or molasses to your baby because these too are unprocessed. In any case avoid anything that is not processed thoroughly.
Infants are more susceptible than adults. They start developing a good immunity and better digestion capacities only after twelve months. Parents should stick to
mother’s milk and other safe
homemade baby foods till the baby is at least a year old.
What are the harmful effects of giving honey to babies? Why is it not safe to give honey to babies? Is it alright to give honey to older kids? Discuss here.
