CHEAP, colourful and delicious, many find it hard to resist a slushie on a hot summer's day - but you might want to think twice before you hit up the $2 7/11 refills next time.
Researchers in the UK believe public health advice on the icy beverages needs to be revised, after analysing 21 cases of acutely ill kids linked to drinking glycerol-containing slushies.
Their findings, published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, show that in each case, the child became very unwell with a cluster of symptoms within an hour of drinking the beverage, which the researchers refer to as glycerol intoxication syndrome.
Slurping up too much slushie in a short amount of time can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting in young children, potentially leading to shock, low blood sugar and fainting.
"There is poor transparency around slush ice drink glycerol concentration; estimating a safe dose is therefore not easy," the researchers said.
"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 consumed after high-intensity exercise, may be contributing factors."
The study authors concluded that slushie consumption safety recommendations should be based on weight rather than age, or alternatively, for the recommended age threshold to be raised to eight years old, upon from four years old.
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