Honey Can Cause Infant Botulism

Feeding honey to infants is strongly discouraged because it can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that produces a powerful neurotoxin. In some babies, especially those under one year of age, the immature digestive system cannot prevent the bacteria from growing in the intestines. The resulting illness, known as infant botulism, can cause severe muscle weakness, poor feeding, breathing difficulties, and the condition often called "floppy baby syndrome." In serious cases, the descending paralysis can require hospitalization and may be life-threatening.

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