Can a one-year-old baby eat honey?

Honey is very nutritious. Eating honey regularly can have a good therapeutic effect on stomach problems. Honey can also moisturize the intestines. Drinking more honey can promote intestinal peristalsis and stool excretion, which can clean the intestines and expel toxins. However, although honey is good, it is not suitable for everyone. The baby's physique may not be suitable for honey, and it may even have the opposite effect. Let’s take a look at whether one-year-old babies can eat honey?

Why can't children under one year old eat honey?

1. Risk of botulism

Clostridium botulinum exists in natural environments such as dust and soil. They release botulinum spores into the air. These spores settle on various objects and form bacterial colonies when environmental conditions are suitable.

Honey can carry botulinum spores when it is collected.

These spores are temperature resistant and cannot be destroyed by heating, boiling or even pasteurization. Therefore, foods containing botulinum spores can pass into the digestive system unhindered.

These spores do not pose a threat to babies over 12 months old because their immune systems are adequate to prevent them from multiplying.

However, babies under 12 months old lack this immune function and are susceptible to infection with Clostridium botulinum, leading to infant botulism.

Infant botulism is a disease that mostly occurs in infants under 6 months old, but can also occur in infants 6-12 months old. It is caused by the reproduction of Clostridium botulinum spores to form botulinum toxin, which causes a series of poisoning symptoms characterized by progressive damage to peripheral nerve function.

At this time, the baby's organs are not fully developed, and they have no ability to resist foreign bacteria, and the liver will not produce enough bile to kill the spores.

2. Threaten intestinal development

When infants consume honey, the botulinum spores reach the small intestine and generate a small amount of intestinal microflora.

Lacking resistance, the spores rapidly grow to form colonies of C. botulinum and then release the botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin is often used in the beauty and cosmetic surgery industries and has anti-wrinkle effects. But it is this highly toxic toxin that is also used by the military to make chemical weapons.

Botulinum toxin overwhelms your baby’s nervous system by attacking neurons and preventing them from sending any signal impulses, leading to decreased muscle function and, in extreme cases, paralysis.

It is because of these serious consequences that researchers and medical professionals do not recommend that babies under 12 months old consume honey. After 12 months, the baby's body has enough bile and intestinal microflora to resist and prevent the growth of botulinum toxin.

Therefore, do not give honey to babies under one year old.

What should I do if I eat honey?

First of all, don't be afraid, because botulinum toxin will not form immediately. If your baby accidentally eats honey, it is best to take the baby to see a doctor immediately, tell the doctor the amount and time of consumption, and listen to the doctor's judgment.

Then watch carefully over the next month because, if botulism occurs, symptoms appear in about 30 days. If you find any abnormality, see a doctor immediately.

Finally, maintain normal breastfeeding, because breast milk can help the growth of normal flora in the intestines that can resist the reproduction of botulinum spores.

If no symptoms of botulism develop within 30 days, your baby is fine.