How to Prevent Infant Botulism

Prevent infant botulism--avoid honey.

Infant botulism makes up the majority of botulism cases worldwide, because infants' immature gut systems are much more susceptible to botulism toxins that may be more easily tolerated by adults. Infants are more likely to die from botulism than adults, because their bodies are smaller. Even a minuscule amount of botulism can prove fatal to infants, although a newly developed antitoxin and antidote measures improve the eventual outcome for many. Once diagnosed and hospitalized, infants infected with botulism have a very good chance of full recovery. Overall, prevention is the best medicine. Here's how to prevent infant botulism.

Instructions

1. Breastfeed your infant or ensure that the baby receives breast milk for at least the first six months. Breast milk does not contain botulism spores and can not harbor the bacteria Clostridium botulinum that produces the nerve toxins that cause botulism. Breastfeeding will also improve the baby's gut system and help colonize the gut with good bacteria if the mother follows a healthy, whole-foods diet.

2. Avoid any honey for children under 12 months of age. Honey carries botulism spores that will not affect people with mature digestive systems but can cause big problems for infants whose guts are still new.

3. Keep infants away from dust, especially vacuum cleaner bags, which can carry botulism spores. Empty vacuum cleaner bags into outdoor garbage cans away from babies.

4. Prevent excessive contact with dirt while the infant is less than six months old, as botulism spores are also present in dirt.

5. Know the signs of botulism in infants so that you can seek treatment immediately if your baby is infected. According to Dr. Greene, if a healthy baby begins to suffer constipation and parents notice lethargy or weakness and difficulty in sucking, crying or breathing, infant botulism is the most likely diagnosis. If a breastfeeding mother feels engorged at the same time her baby becomes lethargic or develops a weak cry, the baby should be taken to the hospital and tested for botulism infection right away.

Tips & Warnings

• Never dip pacifiers in honey or a honey solution.

• Avoid corn syrup, which can also harbor botulism.