Docs attempt to cease under-eights consuming slushies

Youngsters ought to fully keep away from “slushy” ice drinks containing glycerol, which might make them very sick, till they’re no less than eight years outdated, say researchers calling for official public-health recommendation to alter.

The researchers studied the circumstances of 21 two-to-seven-year-olds within the UK and Eire who wanted emergency remedy quickly after consuming a slushy product.

The brightly colored drinks are designed to attraction to youngsters – however most comprise the naturally occurring sweetener glycerol, as an alternative of sugar, to cease them freezing stable and provides the slushy impact.

Present Meals Requirements Company (FSA) recommendation says under-fives ought to keep away from the drinks and under-11s shouldn’t have any a couple of.

And if a younger youngster drinks a slushy too rapidly, glycerol intoxication may trigger shock, hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and lack of consciousness.

Arla, two, and Albie, 4, each ended up in hospital.

And the entire youngsters within the examine, revealed within the journal Archives of Illness in Childhood, wanted accident-and-emergency (A&E) remedy, after turning into acutely sick, quickly after having the drinks, principally between 2018 and 2024, with “glycerol intoxication syndrome”:

• most misplaced consciousness and confirmed indicators of low sugar and excessive acidity within the blood.
• 4 wanted mind scans
• one had a seizure

The youngsters all recovered and have been discharged from hospital, with recommendation to keep away from slushies.

The examine authors, paediatricians working within the UK and Eire, say: “There may be poor transparency round slush-ice-drink glycerol focus.

“Estimating a secure dose is due to this fact not straightforward.”

Suggestions based mostly on a baby’s weight could be laborious for folks to interpret.

And the way rapidly a slushy is drunk and whether or not with a meal or after train may also be elements.

One motive for the current rise in youngsters turning into sick could be the decrease sugar content material of the slushies, which is engaging to oldsters.

In international locations with no sugar tax, they comprise far more glucose and sometimes no glycerol in any respect, the authors say.