Baby eating chilli pepper video sparks child cruelty criticism online

Commenters and doctors criticised the mother who filmed the video

(cassmidd/Rumble)

A mother has made a video of her young child eating a spicy jalapeno pepper for the first time, prompting criticism from viewers and doctors.

The video shows the inquisitive young girl being handed a piece of pepper by her mother. She then eats it, and immediately begins coughing and crying out.

She spits out the jalapeno, but she picks it up off the floor after being prompted by her mother. Putting it back in her mouth, she has a similar reaction.

The mother can be heard giggling in the background throughout the video.

Commenters criticised the mother for uploading the video, with one saying: "Anybody who actually enjoys repeatedly causing an innocent toddler pain and discomfort for their own amusement to make a hoped-for 'viral video' ought to have their freakin' head examined."

Young children have a much more sensitive sense of taste than adults, meaning strong flavours can easily overwhelm them.

Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Mike Smith, former GP and chair of the Patients Association said: "It's not something I would recommend anyone to do."

He said that some hotter peppers can even burn the upper intestine tracts of young children, and advised people not to try this with their own child.