FDA: Honey-Filled Pacifiers Linked to Botulism

The FDA is reminding parents and caregivers to not give honey to infants or children under the age of one, after the agency received reports that four infants in Texas have been hospitalized with botulism due to pacifiers that contain honey.

The pacifiers were purchased outside of the United States, however, the agency has stated that similar products are available to U.S. consumers through online stores.

According to the agency, "[b]otulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves and causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death".

Honey is known to contain botulism spores, which can be devastating to an infant’s immune system. Because of this risk, the FDA, CDC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend not feeding those under 12 months old honey.

The FDA is urging parents and caregivers to discard any and all pacifiers containing honey, and to not give infants or young children pacifiers dipped in honey. The FDA has also urged online retailers to halt the sales of honey-filled pacifiers. A quick search earlier today revealed that several online retailers such as Amazon have already removed their pages for these products.

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