6-month-old baby boy dies after drinking honey Why can drink over 1 year old but not under 1 year old

When the baby coughs, drink some honey water. Many parents have heard this saying, and the doctor has also said that this can be done. However, what many parents ignore is that the doctor’s words have a premise. Yes, that is, children over one year old can drink it, and children under one year old cannot drink it!

A 6-month-old baby boy in Japan died of botulism after being fed honey by his family!

So, since Botox is highly toxic, why is it okay for children over 1 year old to eat it, but not for children under 1 year old?

Understanding Botox

Botox, the full name of Clostridium botulinum, can be found in soil and animal feces.

Botox itself is not toxic. However, if it is in an oxygen-deficient environment, it goes dormant, spores and produces a toxin called botulinum toxin.

It is currently one of the most toxic substances known to the world.

Why is botox in honey?

Botox is found in closed cans, sausages, hams, pickled and fermented foods, so why is it also found in honey?

A small amount of botulinum has been detected in natural honey, but no specific cause has been found in the literature. Experts speculate that the flowers were contaminated with botulism in the soil or animal feces, and the bees just collected the pollen and brought the pollen back to the hive along with the bacteria.

Botox, like most bacteria, is not heat-resistant and can be killed by high temperature treatment at 90°C for about 15 minutes.

However, in order to preserve the various active substances in honey, when processing honey, it is rarely treated at high temperature, so the botulinum bacteria contained in honey are “preserved”.

And after these botulinum bacteria enter the human intestine, it may be transformed into propagules and colonized in the intestine, and then produce botulinum toxin, which will lead to body poisoning after the toxin is absorbed. .

Who is vulnerable to poisoning?

It is not poisonous for adults to drink honey. This is because the amount of botulinum toxin detected in honey is very low. For adults, because of the strong stomach acid and various barriers in the digestive tract, such a small amount of botulinum toxin will not cause harm to the human body.

But it’s not so easy for babies and toddlers. Because the gastrointestinal tract of babies is not fully developed, the barrier function is weak, and the liver detoxification ability is poor. If Botox multiplies in the gut, even a tiny amount can poison a child.

So this is also the reason why babies under 1 year old cannot drink honey, even babies over 1 year old should drink as little as possible.

What are the symptoms of botulism

When people ingest botulinum toxin, symptoms usually appear 8-36 hours after ingestion. Symptoms include:

Nervous system: dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty opening eyes, etc., severe patients may also experience mydriasis, dry mouth, difficulty chewing, Dyspnea and other cranial nerve damage;

Digestive system: symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, constipation and intestinal paralysis;

Circulatory system: including chest tightness, heart pain, increased heart rate, and severe symptoms of heart failure;

In addition, some patients also experience symptoms such as limb weakness and fever.

For infants and young children, after eating honey or honey food, pay attention to whether the baby has symptoms such as constipation, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc.

How is botulism treated?

In the event of botulism, patients need immediate medical attention.

Food-induced gastric lavage is required to prevent toxins from being absorbed in the body. If it is caused by a wound, the wound needs to be cleaned thoroughly.

In any case, these treatments need to be done under the guidance of a doctor.

Some other tidbits about Botox

You may not have imagined that such a terrifying toxin has its magical effect.

Treat disease

Because it acts as a neuromuscular anaesthetic, it can be used to treat facial spasms and other muscle movement disorders.

Anti-aging beauty tool

What is even more surprising is that it is an anti-aging and anti-wrinkle artifact in cosmetic surgery. Many celebrities rely on botulinum toxin injections to achieve the effect of eliminating wrinkles.

However, since the injection site and dosage are extremely precise, it must be operated by a professional doctor. If it is not controlled properly, it can cause facial stiffness in mild cases, and facial paralysis in serious cases.

Now that we have a comprehensive understanding of botulism, as long as we take precautions, botulism is no longer scary.

Finally, parents are reminded not to give honey and honey water to babies under 1 year old. If there is an elderly person at home to help you take care of the baby, be sure to send this article to him.