Warning to parents over 'intoxication syndrome' in children after drinking slushies

A study has highlighted a number of children being unwell after consuming so-called "glycerol intoxication syndrome", which caused symptoms like decreased consciousness

Researchers are advising that children under the age of eight should steer clear of slush ice drinks that contain the sweetener glycerol.

This warning comes after a study revealed a number of young children became ill due to "glycerol intoxication syndrome", which led to symptoms such as reduced consciousness and low blood sugar.

Glycerol, a naturally occurring alcohol and sugar substitute, is used in slush drinks to maintain their texture by preventing the liquid from freezing solid. In the UK, slush drinks containing glycerol are not recommended for children under four years old. However, academics are now calling for a review of the public health guidance.

The study, published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, examined the medical records of 21 children in the UK and Ireland who fell ill after consuming a slushie. The majority of cases occurred between 2018 and 2024, with the children's ages ranging from two to nearly seven.

Initially, the children were diagnosed with hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, upon arrival at emergency departments. The researchers suggest that consuming slushies containing glycerol "may cause a clinical syndrome of glycerol intoxication in young children", leading to symptoms including decreased consciousness, hypoglycaemia, lactic acidosis, and hypokalaemia.

They warned: "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 Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises against children under four consuming slush ice drinks containing glycerol. They also suggest limiting consumption to no more than one slush per day for children aged between five and 10 years.

According to a review, out of 15 children whose time of illness onset was known post-slushie consumption, 14 fell ill within an hour. The study revealed that all 21 children recovered swiftly and were discharged with advice to steer clear of slushies.

Of these, 20 heeded the advice and experienced no further episodes of low blood sugar. However, one child who consumed another slushie at seven years old developed symptoms within an hour.

Researchers pointed out: "There is poor transparency around slush ice drink glycerol concentration; estimating a safe dose is therefore not easy."

They added, "It is also likely that speed and dose of ingestion, along with other aspects such as whether the drink is consumed alongside a meal or during a fasting state, or consumed after high-intensity exercise, may be contributing factors."

Furthermore, they emphasised that "there are no nutritional or health benefits from these drinks" and "they are not recommended as part of a balanced diet".

"Recommendations on their safe consumption therefore need to be weighted towards safety," the academics stated.

"To ensure safe population-level recommendations can be easily interpreted at the individual parental level, and given the variability across an age cohort of weight, we suggest that recommendations should be based on weight rather than age.

"Alternatively, the recommended age threshold may need to be higher (eight years), to ensure the dose per weight would not be exceeded given normal population variation in weight."