A SCOTS mum has called for a ban on selling slushies to children after her toddler ‘collapsed and began fitting’ minutes after gulping the ‘toxic’ iced drink.
Victoria Anderson faced every parent’s worst nightmare when her three-year-old was rushed to hospital after what doctors said was the ‘toxic’ effect of the chemical that stops slushies from freezing.
Kennedy NewsLittle Angus’ body went limp and stone cold and was left in a ‘drunk-like’ state[/caption]
Kennedy NewsThe three-year-old was rushed to hospital after drinking a slushy[/caption]
Kennedy NewsMum Victoria Anderson has called for a ban on selling slushies to children[/caption]
The 29-year-old was out shopping on January 4th with two of her children when her son, Angus, requested the raspberry-flavoured drink from the local corner shop.
However, just half an hour later, the tot unexpectedly fell unconscious in another store – leaving terrified mum Victoria fearing for her son’s life.
The mum-of-five, who lives in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, said little Angus’ body went ‘limp and stone cold’ as paramedics began working on the toddler.
After rushing to hospital, staff told Victoria that the slushy had caused glycerol toxicity – which left Angus in a ‘drunk-like’ state.
The Food Standard Agency (FSA) issued new voluntary industry guidance on glycerol in slush-ice drinks in August 2023, advising that they should not be sold to children four years of age and under.
At very high levels of exposure, glycerol intoxication can cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness, according to the government body.
Victoria said: “Angus had never had a slushy before. This was his first time. His brothers had had them in summer as a treat before.
“After drinking the slushy, we went into another shop and Angus kept saying he wanted to go home. He moaned again and I said ‘we’re going home now, just another couple of minutes’.
“We walked around the shop a bit more and as I turned around I could hear him moaning again.
“I thought he’d thrown himself on the floor having a temper tantrum, but when I looked his eyes were at the back of his head and he was having a seizure. He went limp as anything.
“I started screaming ‘somebody get me an ambulance’. I thought I’d lost him. His body went stone cold.”
Paramedics rushed into the store and said Angus’ blood sugar levels were dangerously low and the tot was quickly bluelighted to Glasgow Children’s Hospital.
There, Angus was unconscious for two hours while doctors undertook tests to determine the cause of his episode.
AlamyGlycerol intoxication from slushies can cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness[/caption]
Victoria said: “He was unconscious for about two hours. It was the scariest thing I’d ever experienced. He was well that day – there was nothing obviously wrong with him. There’s nothing like this in the family.
“I was scared he would die, considering the way he went down and how limp he was and how unresponsive he was. They gave him a jab in the leg and he wasn’t even flinching.
“When he woke up, he was still going in and out of consciousness. I think he was exhausted too.
“They’d asked what he’d eaten and drank that day and I told them about the slushy. The doctors said the slushy had caused glycerol toxicity. His blood sugars went very low.
“It’s not something I’d ever heard of before. There was definitely a link to the slushy.”
Victoria is now calling for a ban on slushies to be served to children after Angus’ worrying reaction to the iced drink.
The dangers of slushy drinks
Intoxication from glycerol in slushy drinks
Glycerol is a liquid which prevents the drink from freezing solid and maintains its “slush” properties.
It is a naturally occurring alcohol that comes in the form of an odorless liquid and often used as a solvent or sweetening agent in slushies as well as in medicines.
But if a child drinks too many slushies, which have this sugar alcohol, then it can leave them with symptoms that are similar to being drunk.
Children may also suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol.
If several slushies are drunk in a short space of time it can cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness in younger kids.
Children under four should not be given slush-style drinks, according to guidelines by Food Standards Scotland.
Children over the age of four are considered unlikely to suffer ill-effects from drinking one slush drink.
This is because the effects of glycerol are related to body weight.
Victoria said: “I think slushies should be banned altogether or at the very least there needs to be a warning sign for under-4s. But this could potentially happen to any kid of any age.
“I’ll never buy slushies again. You just don’t know what’s in these drinks. I just want to make as many mums aware as possible what can happen buying these drinks.”
Last year doctors found a rise in the number of young people being admitted to hospital after drinking too many of the flavoured frozen drinks.
And in August, parents across Scotland were warned that children under four should not be given slush-style drinks.
Concerns were raised about the risk of intoxication from glycerol.
Stephen Hendry, head of standards at Food Standards Scotland, said: “While risk assessment work shows that symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, it is important that parents are aware of the risks – particularly at high levels of consumption.
“We are grateful to those manufacturers who have already taken steps to reduce levels of glycerol, and to those who have already told us they will be adopting our new guidelines.”