New research links sugar-free slushies to hypoglycaemia in children.
Slushies – arguably the most efficient and refreshing way to dye a toddler’s face – can lead to metabolic disease-like symptoms in young children when certain sugar substitutes are used, according to new research.
Published in Archives of Disease in Childhood last month, the paper outlines 21 cases from the UK in which previously well children under the age of seven had abnormal blood sugar investigations immediately after drinking a slush ice drink.
None of the patients had a history of hypoglycaemia, but all 21 did have a history of recently slurping down a slushie containing glycerol.
Rather than the sugar-induced hyperactivity that anyone who has observed a small child post-slushie might expect, nearly all the children “demonstrated an acute decrease in consciousness”, as well as hypoglycaemia, lactic acidosis, pseudohypertriglyceridaemia and hypokalaemia.
Sixty-five percent presented with severe hypoglycaemia, and one child had a generalised tonic clonic seizure.
Most had become acutely unwell within an hour of sugar-free slushie ingestion. All 17 who had a urine tested showed high levels of glycerol in their pee.
“The clinical and biochemical phenotype of the children in this series is remarkably consistent and occurred shortly after slush ice drink consumption,” the researchers wrote.
All patients bar one subsequently avoided slushies; the lone recidivist became symptomatic again within an hour of consuming the icy treat a second time.
Each child “swiftly recovered” following initial resuscitation, the authors noted.
The UK Food Standards Agency has already recommended that children aged younger than four not be given any glycerol-containing slushies, and that children under 10 should be limited to just one at a time.
The researchers also dealt some harsh home truths, going so far as to say that there are “no nutritional or health benefits” to a slushie.
One good outcome, at least, is that tots now have a good argument for getting the full-sugar version.
Letting children have more sugar is always a good idea!
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