The Food and Drug Administration is reminding parents of babies that it is not safe to give children under the age of 1 honey.
The FDA sent out the warning after four children were admitted to hospitals in Texas, diagnosed with botulism. All four babies used pacifiers that had honey in them. The binkies were bought in Mexico, but online retailers sell them across the country.
Honey can contain clostridium botulinum spores. The spores can multiply in a baby’s digestive system and has been connected to some cases of infant botulism.
Botulism is a serious illness, caused by clostridium botulinum, clostridium butyricum and sometimes clostridium baratii bacteria that attacks the body's nerves and causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and potentially death.
The FDA says that parents should not only not give the honey-filled pacifiers to babies, but also don't dip them in honey and give to infants and young children. Experts recommend parents throw away any pacifier filled or dipped in honey, to stop using it immediately and throw them away.
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