Warnings Issued After Children Nearly Die From Drinking Slushies

In the hot days of summer, few things help to cool you off more than a nice cold drink , but it turns out that one beverage in particular can be extremely dangerous for children. In fact, kids have been hospitalized and nearly died after having them. That problematic drink is the slushy, and some places that sell them are now being urged to control how much some young kids get.

The issue with the beverage is the ingredient that gives them their slushed effect - Glycerol. One registered dietitian explained the danger to The Sun saying, "If too much glycerol is consumed too quickly and in too large a volume, it can potentially change the blood concentration. This can then affect the amount of fluid around the brain, leading to symptoms including confusion, dizziness, nausea and even, on occasion, loss of consciousness."

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in England is taking it very seriously, especially since hospitals there have been seeing an uptick of kids sickened by slushies. One boy, Albie Pegg , started hallucinating and fell unconscious within an hour of ingesting a small slushy . When he arrived at the hospital, he struggled to breathe and doctors weren't sure he would make it. Another boy, according to his mom, "collapsed and began fitting" minutes after drinking a slushy. He was diagnosed with glycerol toxicity that left him in a "drunk-like" state.

It doesn't take much slushy to affect a child around four years old, and it doesn't take much more to sicken a ten-year-old. According to the FSA, "The symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, but it is important that parents are aware of the risks – particularly at high consumption levels. It is likely that there is under-reporting of glycerol intoxication, as parents may attribute nausea and headaches to other factors. We are grateful to those manufacturers who have already taken steps to reduce glycerol levels and to those who have already told us they will be adopting our new guidelines."

Either way, definitely be aware of how much slushy you, and especially very young people with you, drink.