Many parents consider honey a healthy treat, but for a child under one year old, it can pose a serious danger. Almaty pediatric infectious disease specialist with 25 years of experience, Saule Syrgabayeva, spoke on the social network Threads about the possible consequences of honey consumption by infants, reports the website infohub.kz.
"Why might a baby stop holding their head up after honey? It's all about botulism spores that can be hidden in honey," she wrote.
The doctor emphasized that in adults, the intestines are mature and do not allow spores to germinate – they pass through and are eliminated naturally. "But in a baby under one year, the intestines are, so to speak, empty, the microflora is not formed, and the spores get a chance to germinate right inside the intestines and start producing toxin on the spot," the specialist explained.
The pediatrician added that the toxin then blocks the transmission of signals from nerves to muscles. The muscles of the neck, face, and swallowing are the first to suffer. "The conclusion is this: honey in any form (even in baked goods, homemade jams, on a pacifier, with milk) – not before 12 months. We calmly wait until the first birthday, and then introduce the baby to honey," she recommended.
It should be recalled that the disease can manifest from several hours to a couple of weeks after consuming honey. Main signs: severe and prolonged constipation; general muscle weakness (the child looks "floppy"); lethargy, loss of appetite, and difficulty swallowing, weak cry; the infant stops confidently holding their head.
Earlier, pediatrician Nurzhamal Aubakirova on her Instagram page listed six popular pharmacy products that are often prescribed to children contrary to modern clinical guidelines.