Youngsters beneath eight should not drink slushies, researchers warn

Youngsters beneath eight shouldn’t drink slushy ice drinks containing glycerol, researchers have warned after a string of hospitalizations within the UK and Eire.

The brightly coloured drinks marketed in the direction of kids typically use glycerol as a sweetener and anti-freezing agent.

However excessive ranges might be dangerous, particularly to kids—glycerol intoxication may cause shock, low blood sugar and lack of consciousness.

In a peer-reviewed medical assessment printed within the Archives of Illness in Childhood journal on Tuesday, researchers regarded right into a “current obvious surge in instances” within the UK and Eire, and instructed kids beneath eight ought to keep away from the drinks completely.

They studied the medical data of 21 kids aged two to seven who wanted emergency therapy after ingesting slushies.

Most instances happened between 2018 and 2024 and most of the kids grew to become acutely ailing inside an hour, the researchers stated.

A lot of the kids misplaced consciousness and confirmed indicators of excessive blood acidity and low sugar, whereas 4 wanted mind scans and one had a seizure.

The kids all recovered swiftly, the researchers stated.

Slushy machines have been invented in america within the Nineteen Fifties, and the drinks don’t all the time comprise glycerol as a result of sugar can be utilized to cease them freezing stable as a substitute.

The researchers instructed the spate of instances may very well be linked to elevated concern about excessive sugar consumption and sugar taxes adopted within the UK and Eire in recent times.

Meals security businesses within the two international locations already advise that kids aged 4 and beneath shouldn’t have slushies containing glycerol.

However the researchers stated the age needs to be raised additional.

“Youthful kids, particularly these beneath eight years of age, ought to keep away from slush ice drinks containing glycerol,” they stated.

“Clinicians and oldsters needs to be alert to the phenomenon, and public well being our bodies ought to guarantee clear messaging.”

The assessment’s authors additionally stated there may very well be instances the place kids have suffered much less critical sickness and never been taken to hospital.

In London, some mother and father stated they supported elevating the beneficial age.

Mom Elsa Qorri, 46, instructed AFP she grew to become anxious after her two ladies aged 5 and 7 drank slushies final 12 months.

“They each acquired mind freeze and could not have any extra,” she stated. “I am not going to purchase them once more till the women are a little bit bit older.”

© 2025 AFP