Infant botulism cases have been reported in Madison County, Kentucky and have prompted a warning to parents and have officials concerned. There are two cases of infant botulism that have been reported to authorities.
There are typically two ways that infants can be sickened with botulinum toxin that the bacteria Clostridium botulin produces under certain conditions. The first is honey. Infants under the age of one should never be given honey because it can contain botulism spores. Infants get sick because their immune systems are too immature to prevent the toxin from developing. Medical science doesn’t understand all of the factors that make these infants more susceptible to botulism spores.
The spores can also be found in soil. When ingested, the spores can grow and produce the toxin. Botulism spores are more likely to exist in mud and stagnant soil.
There are many symptoms that an infant may display when they have botulism. Constipation is often the first symptom. They may also have trouble sucking or feeding. Drooping eyelids and weak facial muscles are other symptoms, along with the face appearing “flat.” Floppy movements may occur because of muscle weakness and loss of head control.
The infants may have a weak cry that sounds different than usual, irritability, tiredness, difficulty breathing, decreased movement, and trouble swallow with a lot of drooling.
These symptoms constitute a medical emergency. If your baby has been showing these symptoms, get them to an emergency room immediately. Hopefully these infant botulism cases will not increase.
