Why should children under 1 year avoid honey?

Why should children under 1 year avoid honey?

• A. Botulism
• B. Listeria exposure
• C. E. coli infection
• D. Salmonella infection

Answer: (C)

Infants under one year are at risk for infant botulism when they ingest spores of Clostridium botulinum that can be present in honey. In a baby’s immature gut, these spores may germinate and produce botulinum toxin, which blocks nerve signaling and can lead to constipation, weak cry, poor feeding, lethargy, and in severe cases respiratory failure. Heating or cooking honey doesn’t reliably destroy the spores, so the risk remains. For this reason, honey is avoided in children younger than one year. Other infections listed (like E. coli, Listeria, or Salmonella) are not the specific concern related to honey in infancy.

Infants under one year are at risk for infant botulism when they ingest spores of Clostridium botulinum that can be present in honey. In a baby’s immature gut, these spores may germinate and produce botulinum toxin, which blocks nerve signaling and can lead to constipation, weak cry, poor feeding, lethargy, and in severe cases respiratory failure. Heating or cooking honey doesn’t reliably destroy the spores, so the risk remains. For this reason, honey is avoided in children younger than one year. Other infections listed (like E. coli, Listeria, or Salmonella) are not the specific concern related to honey in infancy.