- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus member of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to health information content on primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
He's a Fort Worth, Texas, native, certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
Infant and toddler health (6)
- Baby sign language: A good idea?
- Vaccination schedule: Why so many so fast?
- Flu shots for kids: Does my child need a flu shot?
- see all in Infant and toddler health
Newborn health (8)
- Baby poop: What's normal?
- Uncircumcised penis: Is special care needed?
- Induced lactation: Can I breast-feed my adopted baby?
- see all in Newborn health
Infant health (20)
- Baby sling: Is it safe?
- Breast-feeding and alcohol: Is it OK to drink?
- Baby fat: When is it cause for concern?
- see all in Infant health
Toddler health (4)
- Terrible twos: Why are 2-year-olds so difficult?
- Toddler speech development: Are 2-year-olds understandable?
- Poinsettia plants: Are they poisonous?
- see all in Toddler health
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Infant botulism: How can it be prevented?
How can I protect my baby from infant botulism?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
To prevent infant botulism — a rare but serious form of food poisoning — don't give honey or corn syrup (dark or light) to a baby. Both foods are potential sources of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) spores. Bacteria from the spores can grow and multiply in a baby's intestines, making a toxin that can cause infant botulism. The concern is only for children younger than age 1.
It's also important to follow food safety tips when canning or preparing food at home for your child. For example:
- Use proper home-canning techniques. Pressure-cook home-canned foods at 250 F (121 C). Consider boiling home-canned foods for 10 minutes before serving them.
- Store food safely. Discard any food that could be spoiled, as well as food containers that appear to bulge — a sign that they may contain gas produced by C. botulinum spores.
Exposure to soil or dust contaminated with C. botulinum also can cause infant botulism.
Constipation is often the first sign of infant botulism, typically accompanied by floppy movements, a weak cry, and difficulty sucking or feeding. If you suspect your baby may have infant botulism, seek medical help immediately.
Next questionVitamin D for babies: Are supplements needed?
- Facts about botulism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/botulism/factsheet.asp. Accessed Jan. 18, 2010.
- Pickering LK, et al. Red Book: 2009 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 28th ed. Elk Grove Village, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009. http://appredbook.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1/3.28.1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=botulism&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&fdate=1/1/2009&tdate=1/31/2009&resourcetype=HWCIT. Accessed Jan. 18, 2010.
- Risko W. Infant botulism. Pediatrics in Review. 2006;27:36.
- Botulism. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/infections/Pages/Botulism.aspx. Accessed Jan. 18, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on