Cape Town – Since the start of March, the Western Cape Poison Information Helpline has seen an increase in inquiries as a result of children ingesting hand sanitizer.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues its spread, the provincial Health Department has urged parents and caregivers to exercise caution with hand sanitizer, particularly around children, as it may be harmful due to its alcohol content.
The helpline recently received a disturbing call from a mother who gave her 8-year-old son lemon juice and sodium bicarbonate in boiling water for protection against Covid-19. He vomited severely and had to be admitted to hospital.
“This advice of the lemon and hot water cure comes from a viral WhatsApp message,” Tygerberg Hospital Poisons Information Centre
director Carine Marks said.
“This information is false and we can confirm that a buffered solution of hot lemon juice and sodium bicarbonate, similarly, will do nothing to change the pH of either your body or your immune system. Please refrain from giving this to children.”
She said most children who got a taste or a lick of hand sanitizer experienced only mild symptoms, if any, and could be safely managed at home.
“Hand sanitizer tastes bad and can result in a burning sensation, so most children will not swallow an amount large enough to produce symptoms. However, if a child does drink hand sanitizer, it can result in alcohol poisoning,” Marks said.
Children who have ingested more than the equivalent of 0.4ml/kg of
ethanol – 1ml/kg for a 40%
ethanol-containing mixture and 0.5ml/kg for an 80% ethanol-containing mixture – or who are showing signs of more than mild sleepiness with increasing inebriation or excessive drowsiness should be observed in a health facility for at least four hours, the department said.
Children with only mild symptoms should be given food to eat, for example a sandwich, to maintain blood glucose levels.
Hand sanitizers are beneficial for killing germs on hands and they should be stored out of the reach of children, the department said.
Adults should monitor the use of hand sanitizer by children to ensure that a proper amount is used and that hands wet with the sanitizer are not put in the mouth, and avoid putting out large containers of sanitizer.
If a child only has access to a small bottle (30ml or less), they are less likely to ingest enough to result in harm.
The department advised the public to only apply a dime-sized amount
of hand sanitizer to dry hands and
rub the hands together until
completely dry.
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer should only be used if soap and water are not available.