Re: Dangers of Honey in children under 2yrs

[Guest guest]

Maureen,

WOW, this was really informative! I know that a lot of the kids with NDD's have

tested out positive for clostridia and I wonder if these same symptoms present

in older children who get an overgrowth in their systems?

Very, very interesting. I have never tested Mark for clostridia but I have

always wondered about it since I have read so many parents complaining of it on

the other boards....

Janice

Mother of Mark, 13

[sPAM][ ] Dangers of Honey in children under 2yrs

Clostridia in action! - Infant Botulism

Let's discuss infant botulism. How does this happen? Infant botulism

is caused by the ingestion of spores, not by the ingestion of the

toxin. Clostridium spores can be found just about anywhere. It is not

uncommon to find spores in honey or corn syrup. Bees, corn, and sugar

cane have all at some point had the opportunity to be exposed to soil,

and therfore pick up spores. Due to the high sugar content of these

sweeteners, the spores do not germinate to grow into bacteria. If a

spore gets ingested by an adult, it just remains a spore, and passes

through their system without causing any problems. Why? Well, the

conditions are not right for them to take off and grow. Yes, the

temperature is right, the water content is right, the lack of oxygen

is right, but the high acidity of the adult stomach would not allow

Clostridia to grow- couple that with the fact that the adult

intestines are teeming with normal bacterial flora, which would

inhibit growth of Clostridia even if they could survive the stomach

acid. So what does that mean? No bug, no toxin produced, no illness.

An infant's stomach, however, is the perfect environment for

Clostridia to take off and grow. The temperature is right, the high

moisture level, the anaerobic conditions, the less acidic conditions,

and the fact that at this point the resident normal flora have not

been established in the intestine. So here's what happens: The spore

gets ingested by the infant. The spore lands in the baby's stomach,

where conditions are perfect for Clostridia to grow- and grow they do!

They take off with a vengeance, and with no competition from any other

bacteria, they quickly and easily colonize the gut and start producing

their toxin. The first symptom you may notice in your baby is

constipation, as the toxin paralyzes the intestinal muscles. This

symptom may be noticed even weeks before you see any other symptoms.

Then you may notice a loss of control of the neck muscles, facial

muscles, and then paralysis will move down the body within a few days,

resulting in what has been referred to as a " floppy baby " . Other

symptoms you may notice are: droopy eyelids, lethargy, a weak cry,

decreased gag reflex, and absent facial expressions.

Treatment is essential, and with proper treatment, the prognosis is

very good. The condition is treated with botulinum antitoxin, and

mechanical ventilation if necessary. Antibiotic treatment is not

recommended due to the fact that the mass killing of these bacteria

may increase the amount of toxin released into the body. The best

course of action is prevention. Never feed an infant under 12 months

honey, corn syrup, or other sweeteners. Also keep in mind that there

are other ways that spores may be introduced to your baby. These

spores are present in dirt and dust, and on the surfaces of fruits and

vegetables. Protect your infant from these things, and always wash

your hands before preparing formula or feeding your infant.

Clostridium botulinum is the cuprit