Public health advice on the safe consumption of glycerol-contrasting slush ice drinks, also know as slushees, may need revising, conclude resarchers after carrying out The medical notes of 21 children who believe acutely unwell shortly after drinking one of these products.

Their findings, published in the journey Archives of Disease in Childhoodshow that in each case the child, acutely unwell with a cluster of symptoms only after drinking a slush ice drink, which the Researches Refer to as Glycerol intoxication Synndrome.

The clinical and biochemical features were similar in all of these children and inclined reduced consciousness, a Sudden sharp in blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia), and A Build-on the country (metabolic acidosis).

Such Symptoms, When they Occur Togetra, Can Indicate Poisoning or Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Prompting Further Investigations.

Brightly colored slush ice drinks are designed to appeal to children, note the results. While The Ingredients Vary, Most of that there is available in the UK and Ireland are ‘No-Deded Sugar’ or ‘Sugar-Free’ Products and Contain Glycerol (E422, ALSO KNOWN AS GLYCERIN),

Glycerol stops the ice from fully freezing, so maintaining the slush effect in the absence of a high sugar content, they explain.

With a view to informing public health policy and guidance for parents, the researchrs scrutinized the medical notes of 21 children who had a Slush ice Drink and Had initially been diagnosed with hypoglycemia after their arrival in emergency care.

Apart from one child referred in 2009, all the other Referred for Further Review Between 2018 and 2024.

Diagnosis was informed by lab test confirmation of at least two of the following: hypoglycemia; Metabolic acidosis; Glyceroluria (high levels of glycerol in the urine), and backed up by negative biochemical, enzyme, and/or genetic test results for underlying inhering inhering metabolic disorders.

Information on Sex was available for 18 of the Children, Just over Half of Whom (10; 56%) was male. Their average age was 3.5, but ranged from 2 to near 7.

How Quickly they believe Ill was knowledge for 15: in 14 (93%) This was within 60 minutes. Similarly, the state of consciousness was known for 17, and in 16 this was significantly and suddenly reduced. One child had a seizure. Urgent neuroimaging was carried out in four (33%) out of 12 child.

Twenty Children Had DOCUMEND Hypoglycemia (Blood Glucose 2.6 mmol/l or below); But in 13 (65%) This was even lower, indicating Severe hypoglycemia. Metabolic acidosis was presented in 16 of the 17 child for whom this information was available.

Twelve of 16 children had low levels of potassium, and eight out of nine in in whom this was measured had falsely high blood fat levels (pseudohypertriglycerideremia). The Researchers Concluded that the Children Had Glycerol Intoxication Syndrome.

All the Children Recovered Quickly After Initial Resuscitation and Stabilization of their blood glucose. They were discharged with advice to avoid slush ice drinks. Twenty Did So and Had No Further Episodes of Hypoglycemia.

But one Drank Another Slush Ice Drink at the age of 7 and developed symptoms within an hour, Rapidly Progressing to vomiting and Drowsiness. The parents gave the child a glucose drink, and called an ambulance. When the paramedics are Arrived, The Child’s Blood Glucose was back to normal and symptoms was alredy resolving.

Most of the cases in the series presented for emergency care between 2018 and 2024. And the Researchers sugges, “A Cause of the Recent Apparent Apparent Surge in Cases May Be the Reduced SUNTENTENT OF Two main factors: first, public health and parental concerns about high sugar ingestion, and second, the introduction of a ‘Sugar tax’ on High Sugar (> 5%) 2019, respectively. “

These drinks, sold in counts where there’s no sugar tax, contain a much higher glucose content and often don’t control any glycerol at all, they add.

Based on some of the cases in this series, The UK Food Standards Agncy Recommended that Young Children (4 And Under) Shouldn Bollywood Slush Ice Drinks Containing Glycerol, and Test 10 Or Younger Should Not Have more than One.The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) Followed Suit with similar guidance in 2024.

But the resultarches believe that these recommendations may no longer be enough.

“There is poor transparency Around Slush Ice Drink Glycerol Concentration; Estimating a safe dose is therefore not easy. It is also likey Such as Whether the Drink is Consuced AlongSide a meal or during a fasting state, or consumed after high-intense exercise, may be contributing factors, “They write.

“Food Standards Scotland and the fsai sugged that 125 mg/kg of body weight per hour is the lowest dose that is associated with Negative health effects. Slush Ice Drink. The Standard Size Drink Sold In the UK and Ireland is 500 Ml, “They Point Out.

Given that these drinks don’t confer any nutritional or health benefits, “recommendations on their safe consumption therefore need to be weighted legs safety,” They Suggest.

And they conclude, “to ensure safe population-level recommendations can be easily interpreted at Recommendations should be based on weight rather than age. Population variation in weight. “