Texas health officials warn of 'honey pacifiers' that gave babies botulism

A baby sucks on a pacifier in Los Angeles, CA on February 28, 2014. (Photo by Mark Makela/Corbis via Getty Images) A baby sucks on a pacifier in Los Angeles, CA on February 28, 2014. (Photo by Mark Makela/Corbis via Getty Images) Photo: Mark Makela/Corbis Via Getty Images Photo: Mark Makela/Corbis Via Getty Images Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Texas health officials warn of 'honey pacifiers' that gave babies botulism 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Texas health officials are warning parents to avoid giving infants honey because it may lead to botulism, a rare illness caused by toxins.

Texas Department of State Health Services announced Friday that four babies were hospitalized in the past few months because of the illness.

The cause behind the life-threatening hospitalizations were pacifiers made of honey.

According to health officials, by the time a baby turns 12 months old, their bodies can prevent the botulism bacteria from growing and spreading in their digestive track. Until then, avoid giving them honey.

"Botulism is a serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves and can cause difficulty breathing, paralysis and even death," read a news release by DSHS. "Honey may contain bacteria that produce the toxin in the intestine of babies that eat it."

In 2018, ten confirmed or suspected cases of botulism have been reported, an increase from the seven to eight cases that have occurred in recent years, DSHS said.

RELATED: Houston is one of the most bed bug-infested cities, pest experts say

Fernando Ramirez is a digital reporter for Chron.com and Houstonchronicle.com. Read him on our breaking news site and on our subscriber site. Follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email him at Fernando.ramirez@chron.com.