Subject: Re: Honey and babies

From: [email-masked] (Sue & David Fletcher)
Date: 3 Jul 1995 03:32:34 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (B.
Watkins) writes: 
>
>I've heard lately on a BBS that parents are warned not to feed honey
to
>babies.  I wonder about this, since I'm pretty sure that my parents
fed me
>honey when I was a baby.  They say there's some sort of botullism or
>something in it that babies can't handle.  anybody know?
>Bryn

Byrn,

The reason honey isn't fed to babies is it can contain a bacteria that
could make them ill or cause death.  You are living proof that it does
not happen frequently.  I believe corn syrup can contain the same
bacteria.

I am not a doctor and this is not intended as advice.

David Fletcher
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Andy Nachbaur)
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 1995 14:25:00 GMT

S>The reason honey isn't fed to babies is it can contain a bacteria that
 >not happen frequently.  I believe corn syrup can contain the same

Yes, any product with high sugar can support the bacteria. It is not
thought that honey is the only problem. Also additional spores of the
bacteria gets in the honey when it is opened and exposed to the
environment of the room.

The bee industry was taken to task in the courts and has provided
hand out's on the subject that are given to all new mothers by their
doctors at our expense. It is suggested not to feed honey to new born
infants until they have developed enough to handle the bacteria. This
is another way of saying they will get the immunity to the bacteria from
sources other then honey as all must develop an immunity from the
bacteria in time.

Actually most mother's would not feed much honey to a infant in the
first place the same as they would not feed them prune juice, no one
like's to change runny diapers. But it's certainty a serious matter to
the California public health doctor who took on the giant honey industry
>from  his public office and received these concessions from the industry
as it was cheeper to give in then have him try to prove all crib deaths
were somehow related to honey.

My advise is NOT to feed honey to infants, no more honey teats or
treats. They don't buy or eat much anyway, and as soon as they are
old enough to go the store with mom they will want some Honey ABC's
Cereals and then we got them hooked for life on honey.

                            ttul Andy-

(c)Permission to reproduce, granted.
Just don't feed the results Honey at an early age.
Opinion is not necessarily fact, check with your doctor.

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From: Sam Barlin <[email-masked]>
Date: 5 Jul 1995 01:46:28 GMT

Clostridum Botullium is preasent in background levels in honey,and 
the problem with babys is that they do not have enough bacteria in there 
systems yet. But the incidence of it happening is very rare. To be safe 
it is suggested to that the child be at least six months to one year old.
my two cents.

[email-masked]