[SallyC]

I received an e-mail today about children getting deathy ill from licking their fingers, on which they had used hand sanitizer. It said that Snopes said it was true.

I didn't check it out, but was wondering if any of you heard of this? It supposedly turned out to be alcohol poisoning from the alcohol in the HS. I use it all the time but will certainly not let my Grands use it.

[NurseNancy]

i havn't heard that but it's an interesting theory.
alcohol can be absorbed thru the skin. i once had a child die a long time ago.
i worked the peds ICU and the kid had been sick and had a fever. the mom thought she could bring the fever down by giving him a sponge bath but she put alcohol in the water.

PS...never do that. a sponge bath with tepid water is the best to bring down a fever in a child. and, NO aspirin to kids under 18. it can cause something called Reyes Sydrome. i saw lots of small kids die of that too.

sorry this turned into a depressing lecture. but with kids i wouldn't be surprised.

[legzzalot]

Wow that is a really scary story for those of us with little ones in public schools. It was on the shopping list we had to supply 4 bottles of this stuff for my kindergartner this year... who was out sick again today and will be tomorrow with sinus infection #2 since starting school back in August.

[Twinkletoes]

Hmmm, I hadn't heard that, Sal.

Here's a link: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp

And yes, its true!

[karousel]

I have heard of this many times. It's all the chemicals they put in there. But if the kids use just a little bit, it's fine. But since kids can't seem to use just a little of anything, that's where the problem is. I prefer hand washing with water and so does DD especially if we are going to be eating. Her school does use soap and water before lunch unless there is no time, then they use the hand sanitizer.

[kicker]

When DS was in 1st grade, a class-mate gave him an apple slice with hand sanitizer on it (kid was crazy wild - later stole mom's ATM card and walked 1 1/2 mile to town and tried to use at Bank's ATM machine!!!!! (later at my friend's DVD store kid tried to charge a DVD. Friend kept kid talking there until cops came.) I came home to phone message from school nurse saying "Poison Center said he'll be fine" WHAT!!! Yeah, flipped out, later made kid's mom cry when I called her kid a psychotic. He was!!! No kid trusted him after he tried to poison my kid. As principal said, if kid had anything stronger he would have used it. DS avoids apples to this day.

[kicker]

DS cried (my sweet little boy of 7) cried and spit in the bathroom and two pals tried to comfort him until a grown-up came, having finally figured it out). I cry now thinking how easy it would be to lose him. Kid is now 17.

[kicker]

Nurse Nancy is right! Kid's are little, their bodies are different from ours. I was lucky my local hospital had a Pediatric ER (never used, but could call all I needed and I did. Kids seem to only get sick in middle of night) - Regular ERs are set up for grownups - too big equipment, too big dosages, Doctors used to grown-up. If you go to them, keep telling them kids are littler!!!

DS at 4 y.o.woke up barking/coughing with croup (3 a.m.). Had read about it, turned shower on hot, sat with him on floor in steamy bathroom. Cold freezer air helps to change bronchial tube(?) size too. Missed Strep becoming Scarlet Fever though. Kids!!!! Anything can happen. Called ER about croup, they said I did good. Hope you never use my hint. Scared me. Friend's baby kept dropping his head as if asleep as she picked up my kids to watch. Later she found out he had asthma and was passing out from lack of air. She drove to pediatrician's a little later in terror. My 3 year olds were with her, told me about it later. "Mommy, Beanie went over the curb and drove on the grass to pass that truck!" Yikes!!!

[Dejibo]

yep! there is alcohol in those things. TEACH your children to NOT lick their hands, or suck on their fingers, or chew their nails. A child's liver is immature and cannot and should not be able to process alcohol. They can go to a past legal limit to drive in a heartbeat.

Hand wipes are better for children, like wet ones, or the generic brand of those as they dont contain alcohol.

If you have children in school make a move for the gel stuff to be swapped for the wipes. You are gonna hear other mothers scream about all the paper waste that is created by the hand wipes, but I would rather have paper waste, than wasted children. YES! teenagers are licking this stuff for the high.

[SallyC]

Am removing hand sanitizer from bathroom sink, as we type..

Thanks twink, for the link.