I missed a post on the last page, about dipping soothers in honey, and thought I would post this. I was shocked when I learned of this when my kids were little. It seemed like it should have been more 'common knowledge' than it was back then.
[FONT size=6]Infant botulism and honey[/FONT]
Infants younger than 12 months are at risk of infant botulism from eating honey. Infant botulism is a rare but serious form of food poisoning.
Honey is a known source of bacterial spores that produce Clostridium botulinum bacteria. These bacteria are typically harmless to older children and adults. But when ingested by an infant, these bacteria make a toxin that can cause infant botulism. It's unclear why this occurs in infants and not in older children or adults.
Infant botulism affects a baby's nervous system and can result in death. Signs and symptoms of infant botulism include:
[UL] [LI]Persistent constipation [LI]Floppy arms, legs and neck [LI]Weak cry due to muscle weakness [LI]Weak sucking and poor feeding [LI]Tired all the time (lethargy) [/LI][/UL] Botulism spores may also be found in undercooked food, corn syrup and even maple syrup. For this reason, feeding an infant any of these foods is risky as well.