Question

The parent of an 8-month-old infant tells the nurse, "while administering the medication to my child, i add a small amount of honey to mask the bitter taste." for which condition is this infant at risk due to this method of medication administration

Answer 1

The infant is at risk of botulism due to this method of medication administration. Botulism is a rare and sometimes fatal disease, which is caused by a toxin produced by a bacterium. The disease can be caused by the consumption of foods that contain the toxin or the spores of the bacteria. In order to prevent the disease, proper food preparation is needed. Children under 12 months old are more vulnerable to this disease since they have not yet developed the appropriate defence mechanisms. Honey is a type of food that could contain this bacterium, therefore children under 12 months should not consume honey.

Answer 2

The 8 month old infant is at risk for an allergic reaction. You should never give a child under the age of one any honey. The nurse should inform the parent that giving honey to a child under the age of one is dangerous and can cause an allergic reaction.