Toddler Hospitalized After Slushy Drink Triggers Dangerous Reaction

A four-year-old girl, Marnie Moore from Lancashire, suffered a severe reaction after consuming a popular slushy drink, leading to hospitalization for glycerol toxicity. This condition, characterized by dangerously low blood sugar, is linked to the sugar substitute glycerol, used in these iced beverages.

Recent research published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood highlights the potential danger of these drinks, especially for young children. Researchers reviewed 21 cases of children experiencing acute illness after drinking slushies, prompting them to urge public health officials to revise existing guidelines. Currently, the advice is that children under four should avoid these drinks, but experts now recommend extending this to children under eight.

Glycerol, used to prevent slushies from freezing, is processed differently by younger children. While older children and adults can metabolize it effectively, younger children are more susceptible to a buildup of the substance, leading to a rapid drop in blood sugar.

Marnie Moore’s mother, Kim Moore, described her daughter becoming “unresponsive and floppy” within ten minutes of drinking a 500ml slushy. The child spent three days in the hospital.

“If I hadn’t taken her to hospital, it may have had a different outcome,” said Kim Moore, who is now advocating for a ban on slushies for children under 12. “They’re promoting poison.”

The symptoms began shortly after Marnie consumed the drink at a children’s party. “About 10 minutes later, she started getting really aggravated, then she started falling asleep,” Kim Moore recounted. “She wasn’t rousing at all, and I think it was mum’s instinct that I knew something wasn’t right. She was floppy and completely unconscious.”

Doctors confirmed Marnie was in hypoglycemic shock, a medical emergency resulting from dangerously low blood sugar. After 25 minutes of unconsciousness, doctors successfully raised her blood sugar levels.

“When she eventually woke up, she screamed out in agony, saying her head hurt and threw up everywhere,” said Kim Moore. “Looking back, she had every single symptom of glycerol toxicity.”

The incident has led the Moore family to ban slushy drinks for Marnie.

Experts suggest that the rise in glycerol intoxication cases may be linked to the sugar tax, which has led manufacturers to use glycerol as a sugar substitute. Traditionally, slushies used sugar solutions, containing about 12g of sugar per 100ml, while glycerol-based formulas require only 5g per 100ml. Some brands, like Slush Puppie, have already removed glycerol from their recipes.

Marnie Moore’s case is not isolated. Other children, such as four-year-old Albie Green from Nuneaton and three-year-old Angus from Port Glasgow, have also experienced severe reactions after consuming slushy drinks, requiring urgent medical intervention. These children also suffered from dangerously low blood sugar levels.