The dangers of slushy drinks have recently come to the forefront with two terrifying incidents within a matter of weeks. Four-year-old Albie of Warwickshire, UK, is the latest victim to suffer a near-fatal experience after consuming an iced slushy drink. This shocking incident follows a similar incident involving another child.
Albie’s parents, Beth Green and Fred Pegg, never expected the horror that would unfold after their son enjoyed a strawberry-flavored slushy during a visit to a local bowling alley. Around 30 minutes later, Albie started displaying signs of tiredness and agitation.
“We just thought he was tired and had a long week at school. When he got in the car he kept saying he was tired. He physically couldn’t keep himself awake, his head kept dropping,” explained Beth. However, things quickly took a terrifying turn. Albie began clawing at his face and experiencing hallucinations before collapsing and losing consciousness.
Albie’s condition rapidly deteriorated, prompting his parents to rush him to the hospital. He was then transferred to the high-dependency unit at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, where he continued to fade in and out of consciousness. Each passing minute felt like an eternity for Beth and Fred as they witnessed their son’s heartbeat dwindle to alarming lows.
After three agonizing days, Albie was finally stabilized. The diagnosis? Glycerol intolerance triggered by the consumption of the iced slushy drink. This revelation shed light on the serious consequences that seemingly harmless food and beverage choices can have on unsuspecting individuals.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a stern warning about the potential health risks associated with high glycerol levels found in certain child-friendly drinks commonly sold at cinemas. According to the FSA, children under the age of four are particularly vulnerable to developing headaches and nausea as a result of consuming these beverages.
Adam Hardgrave, Head of Additives at the FSA, emphasized the importance of parental awareness: “While the 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.”
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