There are a number of different ways people can get drunk. Children, for instance, have been found to consume or drink hand sanitizer, which can cause intoxicating effects. In fact, Georgia’s Poison Control center has reported that there has been a 400% increase of children under 12 consuming hand sanitizer since 2010. According to Dr. Gaylord Lopez, the director of poison control, minors are also increasingly coming across these products, resulting in emergency room trips due to alcohol poisoning.
The dangers of ingesting hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is something that many parents use to protect their children from germs. However, research shows that it only takes a few splashes from a bottle to render a child completely intoxicated, which can cause minors to slur their words or experience difficulty in keeping their balance or maintain consciousness. As a point of reference, the amount of alcohol in sanitizer ranges from 45-95% which makes beer (12-15% alcohol) look like child’s play.
Why children are doing this
There are multiple reasons why a child would want to ingest sanitizer. A six year old, drawn by its strawberry scent, stated that the hand sanitizer “tasted good.” She ended up in the emergency room with a .179 blood alcohol content. Younger children, with no way of recognizing the potential consequences, may also see the label of a bottle, thinking it is something that could be ingested.
Older children, by contrast, have cited different reasons for ingesting alcohol. Many are motivated to do so by a dare, posting videos of themselves trying it on Youtube or social media. Others have intent of actually trying to become intoxicated and will even mix the product with other substances, such as Listerine, for a higher alcohol content.
What can be done to prevent this
In light of the rising trend, Lopez has issued warnings to parents to make them aware of what has been going on. He suggests that parents carefully monitor their childrens’ use of hand sanitizer and recommends them to keep the products somewhere hidden when not in use. To be completely on the safe side, it is also possible to forego the alcoholic-based products altogether and stick to the non-alcoholic brands or sanitizing wipes.
