Honey is a natural product known by all for its excellent benefits and rich flavor. It is popularly used to sweeten naturally and is also used medicinally to relieve coughs and sore throats. It may seem harmless, but it is a prohibited product for nursing children, that is, for those under 2 years of age.
Study about Honey
This precaution began in 1976 after an outbreak of a disease known as Botulism in young children. After due investigations it was found that honey contains spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Although the amount of spores present in honey varies according to the country, the FDA decided to mark honey as a prohibited food for infants.
What is botulism?
Botulism is a disease caused by the ingestion of the neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. This neurotoxin prevents the transmission of nerve impulses at the peripheral level, thus affecting mainly the function of the muscles, which will affect our entire body.
Symptoms usually appear between 8 and 36 hours after the toxin is ingested. In babies, they present: constipation, weakness, crying and weak sucking, dilated pupils and can cause paralysis of the respiratory muscles and lead to very marked breathing difficulty; that is why it is a disease that causes much concern.
And why can older children and adults eat honey? The quantity of spores that has been found in honey is very small. As we grow, our intestines fill up with good bacteria, which we live with. These bacteria do not allow small quantities of spores to be absorbed. This does not happen in infants, whose intestines and bacterial flora have not yet developed.
Does that mean that botulism only affects small children? If it is due to the ingestion of honey, yes, but there are other foods that have higher concentrations of spores, such as canned products that were not made following established hygiene guidelines, so you should never consume canned products that look dubious.
Read also: Essential Tips for First-Time Dads: A Guide to Navigating Fatherhood.
What to do in this situation?
If you notice that your baby suddenly becomes weak, has a weak cry and is not sucking food well, it is important that you go to a hospital as soon as possible. Botulism has a treatment, which consists of an antidote for the toxin and preventing respiratory failure. The sooner treatment is started, the less chance there is of complications and after-effects.