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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo diagnose botulism, your doctor will check you for signs of muscle weakness or paralysis, such as drooping eyelids and weak voice. Your doctor will also ask about the foods you've eaten in the past few days, and ask if you may have been exposed to the bacteria through a wound.
In cases of possible infant botulism, the doctor may ask if the child has eaten honey or corn syrup recently and has had problems such as constipation and sluggishness.
Analysis of stool or vomit for signs of the toxin may help confirm an infant or food-borne botulism diagnosis, but your doctor's clinical examination is the primary means of diagnosis.
