Youngsters below the age of eight shouldn’t devour slushies because of the ingredient glycerol probably making them ailing, new analysis has instructed.
Researchers at College School Dublin mentioned the brightly colored icy drinks could cause “glycerol intoxication syndrome” in children, which results in lack of consciousness and low blood sugar.
Different potential signs of “glycerol intoxication syndrome” can embrace lactic acidosis – which happens when the physique produces an excessive amount of lactic acid – and hypokalaemia, or low potassium.
Glycerol is a naturally occurring alcohol and sugar substitute which helps slush drinks preserve their texture by stopping liquid from freezing strong.
Whereas glycerol is present in another meals, it’s added at a lot decrease portions than in slush ice drinks.
The Meals Requirements Company (FSA) at the moment advises in opposition to youngsters below 4 consuming slush ice drinks containing glycerol.
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Glycerol helps slush drinks preserve their texture by stopping liquid from freezing strong. Pic: iStock
It additionally recommends youngsters between 5 and 10 are restricted to no a couple of slushie a day.
However researchers have urged these below eight years of age to keep away from them altogether.
“Clinicians and parents should be alert to the phenomenon, and public health bodies should ensure clear messaging regarding the fact that younger children, especially those under eight years of age, should avoid slush ice drinks containing glycerol,” the evaluate, revealed in Archives of Illness in Childhood, states.
Researchers added that “there are no nutritional or health benefits from these drinks” and “they are not recommended as part of a balanced diet”.
The research seemed on the medical notes of 21 youngsters aged between two and 7 within the UK and Eire who fell ailing after consuming the drinks between 2009 and 2024.
All the children wanted remedy in accident and emergency (A&E) departments, with 14 of the youngsters turning into unwell inside an hour of ingesting a slushie.
All 21 youngsters recovered shortly and had been discharged with recommendation to not drink slushies, in line with the research.
Just one little one from the group didn’t comply with the recommendation and as soon as once more developed signs an hour after ingesting a slushie on the age of seven.
Researchers mentioned there may be at the moment “poor transparency” round slush ice drink glycerol focus, so estimating a protected dose just isn’t simple.
They mentioned components together with pace of ingestion and whether or not the drink is consumed alongside a meal or throughout high-intensity train could also be contributing components.
