DS ate honey..should i worry?

Ds2 managed to pinch a peice of honey toast his big brother was eating yesterday, silly me let DS1 eat his toast in front of the telly on the lounge and i didn't think ds2 would be able to reach it, anyway he did and although i got most of it away from him i think he might have swallowed a tiny bit, by tiny i mean probably the size of a 5 cent peice at most. Anyway i didn't stress too much because i figured he didn't get much but now i'm worried it could have done him harm, i know bubs under one shouldn't have honey because of the risk of botulism (sp?). Should i worry? He's been really grumpy today, but then thats not really out of the usual as he's been all out of whack the last few weeks.
Am i being silly? Is it really really bad for bubs to eat honey or is it more of a precautionary type thing?

I wouldn't worry if it was me. The risk of him getting infant botulism is very small. It is very rare, but can be very serious thats why it's best to avoid it. I think mum gave my daughter honey on toast without thinking before she was one. I would have rather she didn't, but it turned out ok. I wouldn;t worry and i wouldn't give him any more. ;)

Sorry for brief response, fak.

When is it OK to give honey then?

Evie: it is ok to give honey after 12mths of age.

The reason you can't give a child under 12mths honey is their gastrointestinal system is not developed fully and doesn't get to the temperatures ours does (which would kill the botulism if the honey was infected). Something to that effect anyway.

lestyrox: I wouldn't worry too much just keep an eye out for symptoms of botulism. Just don't le thim have anymore till he is older. I'm sure everything will be ok.

"THEY" whoever they are say over 2 years of age honey is safe for kids

Em - I did read that it's OK for babies over 12 months, but it's SAFER for todlers over 2 ... just wanted to add that

And lesty ... I would also not worry :)

Lesty, don't worry such a small amount should be fine.
Would aviod it until 12 months in case of allergies and until 2 years in case of botulism (which is not very common anymore from what I have been told).

Thanks for posting the question lesty. I have been really curious about this.

Thanks for explaining it too em.

I haven't been giving my two 1/2 year old honey because I thought it was the histamines. But I'll give him honey on crumpets in future. Will be interesting to see what he thinks - bet he loves it.

All because you posted lesty!!!

thanks Nadine, did not know that was a better age. good to find out these things.

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symptoms of botulism

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I'm going to take over this thread now ... sorry.

But since being pg I have always wonderd about honey and botulism. Never heard of it before, never did much reading on it, never knew what it was exactly. I thought it was in the same class as Polio, a scary illness that is 99% "extinct" because of modern medicine. So after replying to this thread I went a google-ing ... seeing as I have all this spare time on hand. And found it extreamly interessing that you get four types (infant, adult, food-borne and wound-borne) that it's really very rare and mostly caused by home-canning. That a group of ppl got botulism from eating whale meat from a beached whale. It only affects about 100 infants ( 90% between 3weeks and 6 months) in the US per year and of that 100 infants 85% of them the exact source is unclear. That animals can get it (birds, horses, cattle, sheep ... strangely not much pigs) That you can have resperatory problems for years afterwards. And that it's believed that some cases are from botulsim that comes form the ground, so kids near building sites ect.

I would urge you to have a google and read up on it. If anyone wants to know the exact site on which I read this, PM me :)

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think i'm probabaly being a worry wart, i'm sure he's fine i just remembered hearing that honey was a big no no so i started to freak out a little :redface:.
Thanks for the info Nadine, very interesting, i might have to have a google fest :)
DS2 who is nearly 3 has honey every day, he loves the stuff. I can't remember when i first gave it to him but i'm sure he was over 12months. I didn't realise its recomended to wait until 2 years.. hmmm i'll keep that in mind for DS2.

Thanks everyone. You've all helped to put my mind at ease :)

My dad (who is a GP and should know better) gave my DD honey on toast last week. I didn't think of it until someone at Mothers Group frowned when I told her and then mentioned botulism. I rang dad and he apologised, but said it is very rare, and only one in five confirmed cases in infants can be linked to honey (so statistically that is a VERY small number, if you consider only 100 infants in the US are affected each year)

So, in short. Don't worry too much, but its probably best not to give him any more until over 2 years old.

I queried my doc on this with Oskar and he said 12 months for store bought honey... the main problem isn't really store bought honey but the side of the road direct from the hives honey which shouldn't be given to then or pregnant women either as it's where the bad stuff potentially is cos it's not treated at all. Oskar loves honey sandwiches and has had them for a long time now. He's 26 months.