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Can 13 month old have honey?

Author

Emily Ross

Published Jan 20, 2026

Honey can be a nice addition to your baby's diet, but it's important to wait until after 12 months of age. Foods to avoid include liquid honey, whether mass produced or raw, and any baked or processed foods containing honey.

Is honey OK for a 13 month old?

Babies under 12 months should not be given honey, because honey contains bacteria that an infant's developing digestive system can't handle. Eating honey can cause your baby to become ill with a condition called infant botulism.

What happens if a 1 year old has honey?

Giving honey to babies under 12 months has been associated with a rare, but serious, condition called infant botulism. Infant botulism is caused by exposure to the spores of a bacteria. Clostridium botulinum bacteria spores can grow and multiply in your baby's intestines.

How much honey can I give my 13 month old?

If your child is older than 12 months of age, it's generally accepted to be okay to offer a small amount of honey from a reliable source. For example, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends small amounts of honey (2 to 5 ml) for the treatment of cough in children older than age one.

Can my 1 year old eat honey?

When can babies have honey? You should avoid giving your baby honey in any form until she turns 1. Don't put it in food, water or formula, avoid processed foods containing honey (like honey graham crackers), and steer clear of products like honey cough syrups or honey pacifiers.

32 related questions found

Can my 15 month old have honey?

Honey can be a nice addition to your baby's diet, but it's important to wait until after 12 months of age. Foods to avoid include liquid honey, whether mass produced or raw, and any baked or processed foods containing honey.

Can my 13 month old have Honey Nut Cheerios?

Feeding Tips

Babies should not eat honey or foods with honey, including Honey Nut Cheerios. Honey can contain a certain type of bacteria that a baby's immune system cannot handle. Avoid foods that can cause choking, like foods with seeds, popcorn, or hard candy.

Can a 1 year old have honey for a cough?

Coughing: Do not give infants under 1 year honey; it will not help with symptoms and can cause a sickness called infant botulism. For children 1 year and older: Use honey, 2 to 5 mL, as needed. The honey thins the mucus and loosens the cough.

What happens if a baby eats honey?

Babies less than one-year-old can get seriously sick from eating honey. Honey contains C. botulinum bacteria, which can produce a toxin in a baby's large intestine, leading to a rare but serious illness known as "infant botulism."

Is honey safe for toddlers?

While delicious, honey should never be given to children under 1 and it's not recommended for children under 2 years old. Honey contains toxic bacteria that may cause infant botulism, a serious form of food poisoning that can end in death. There is also a risk of pollen allergies developed from honey.

How do I know if my baby has botulism?

Infant botulism

Constipation, which is often the first sign. Floppy movements due to muscle weakness and trouble controlling the head. Weak cry. Irritability.

How common is infant botulism from honey?

According to microbiologic testing, up to 25 percent of honey products have been found to contain spores. 11 A history of honey consumption is seen in 15 percent of the botulism cases reported to the CDC. 5,12 As a result, honey should not be given to infants younger than one year.

At what age can you give a child honey?

Pediatricians recommend waiting until your baby is at least 12 months before introducing honey. You should even stay away jars that claim to have been pasteurized, since this process still can't reliably remove all the bacteria. Also avoid foods that contain honey as an ingredient.

Can 12 month old have Honey Nut Cheerios?

No, babies under age 12 months cannot have Honey Nut Cheerios or any food with honey—whether cooked or uncooked. Honey can contain a bacteria that is potentially very dangerous to the immature immune systems of babies. Read more about babies and honey.

How much honey is in botulism?

Honey is one of the most common sources of botulism. About 20 percent of botulism cases involve honey or corn syrup. One 2018 study looked at 240 multifloral honey samples from Poland. The researchers found that 2.1 percent of the samples contained the bacteria responsible for producing the botulinum neurotoxin.

Can my 11 month old have honey?

The general warning is that you should not feed honey to infants under 12 months of age. For a child under 12 months of age, there is a risk of botulism from eating honey and it should be avoided. 1 The spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria can be found in honey.

How can a toddler eat honey for a cough?

Honey. For older toddlers, honey works by thinning congestion and loosening a cough. People can give a toddler aged 1 or over a spoonful of honey, as needed, to relieve cough symptoms. The Cough Expert Panel says that honey may be better than an antihistamine (diphenhydramine) or no treatment for coughs.

How much honey can a toddler have for a cough?

Aug. 6, 2012 -- Ask any parent: When your little one has a cough, no one gets any sleep. But 2 teaspoons of honey before bedtime may safely relieve your child's coughing and make sure everyone gets their ZZZ's. That's the main message from a new study in September's issue of Pediatrics.

Can you give honey to a baby?

Infant botulism has been associated with raw honey. Avoid giving raw honey — even a tiny taste — to babies under age 1. Home-canned food can also become contaminated with C. botulinum spores.

Can my 12 month old have honey graham crackers?

Honey before 12 months may cause a serious type of food poisoning called botulism. Before your child is 12 months old, do not give him or her any foods containing honey, including yogurt with honey and cereals and crackers with honey, such as honey graham crackers.

Can babies under 1 have Honey Nut Cheerios?

Although raw honey poses the biggest danger, even honey-flavored snacks can contain botulism, found a study published in the journal "Pharmacotherapy" in 2002. The Colorado Department of Public Health specifically warns against giving Honey Nut Cheerios to infants and babies less than 1 year old.

What cereal is good for 1 year old?

The Nestle Cerelac Wheat (With Milk Cereal) is for babies who are at least 1 year old and who can make do with heftier foods. It is made of wheat flour, sugar, corn, palm oil, canola, and other nutritious materials. It is also easily digestible so will not put a baby at risk of constipation.

Can an 18 month old have honey?

Honey is used in baked products and can also be served raw to kids aged two and above. As a precaution, never serve honey to a newborn baby or infants aged 12 months and below. Infants above the age of 18 months are typically safe from the effects of the botulism spores and can be given honey in any form.

Does honey always cause botulism?

Honey can contain the bacteria that causes infant botulism, so do not feed honey to children younger than 12 months. Honey is safe for people 1 year of age and older. Learn more about infant botulism from the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program .