Giving honey to children for coughs and colds is an old habit in many Bangladeshi families. But doctors warn that honey is not safe for babies under a year old: being a natural food does not make it safe for children of every age.
Dr Ismat Zerin Surovi told Dinajpur TV that a child under 12 months must not be given honey in any circumstances, neither on its own nor mixed with food or water.
Natural honey can contain spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The spores survive harsh conditions, and in a baby's immature digestive system they can cause infant botulism, a serious and potentially fatal nerve illness.
Doctors advise taking a baby to hospital without delay if, after eating honey, the child develops constipation, a very weak cry, difficulty swallowing breast milk or food, or unusually floppy muscles.
Photo: Scott Bauer, USDA ARS / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Source: Dinajpur TV
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