A new report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US has warned that hand sanitisers should be kept away from young children, particularly if they contain alcohol.
The newly-published report warns that hand sanitisers, often containing up to 95% ethyl alcohol, are frequently combined with scents that appeal to young children. The CDC cautions that recent reports have identified serious consequences, including apnea, acidosis, and coma in young children who swallowed alcohol-based hand sanitisers.
In the period between 2011 and 2014, 70,669 exposures to alcohol and nonalcohol hand sanitisers were reported to the National Poison Data System in children under 12. Approximately 90% of these exposures occurred among children aged 0–5 years. Among that age group, 97% of exposures were oral ingestions.
Children aged between 6 and 12 years had more intentional exposures of alcohol hand sanitisers, suggesting this might be a potential product of abuse among older children. Older children also reported more symptoms and had worse outcomes than did younger children. Thankfully, life-threatening outcomes were rare.
The report’s authors say that increasing awareness of the potential dangers associated with the products is vital,
“Caregivers need to be aware of the potential risks and dangers associated with improper use of hand sanitiser products among children and the need to use proper safety precautions to protect children.
Increased parental or teacher supervision might be needed while using alcohol hand sanitiser products, especially for older children who might be abusing these products during the school year.”
Last September, the Food and Drug Administration in the US banned the use of triclosan, triclocarban, and 17 other chemicals commonly found in antibacterial soaps and washes because of health and bacterial resistance concerns. However, the ban doesn’t apply to hand sanitisers, hand wipes, or antibacterial soaps used in hospitals or health care settings.
The report concludes by recommending more old-fashioned methods of hand hygiene in non-clinical settings,
“Hand washing with plain soap and water is safe and effective and does not carry these associated risks.”
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