It's one of the worst things you can overfeed your baby and you may not even know it.
It's the most common substance in the world, one vital to every creature.
And you use it every day of your life.
What is the dangerous additive?
Believe it or not, it's water.
Many moms, especially in an era of hard times where every penny counts, are tempted to dilute a child's formula with water, hoping to make it last longer.
It can be a disastrous decision because the kidneys of tiny infants aren't fully developed and the liquid can accumulate in their bodies leading to something called water intoxication.
"What's different about a baby, is first of all the kidneys are not that well developed," notes
Dr. Jeremy Friedman.
Too much water in the body of babies under 10 months of age can dilute their blood and cause their sodium and potassium levels to fall drastically. In the worst case scenarios, that can lead to brain swelling and even death.
"And the dangerous part is if the brain gets swollen the next step would be actually a seizure or convulsions."
"Be very careful about following the direction on the can," he adds.
It's a problem many doctors know about but the information often doesn't reach unsuspecting parents.
For more on water intoxication and what other dangers it can pose,
click here.
Baby nutrition
Find the symptoms and the water content of various common baby foods here.