A mother in the UK is warning parents about the dangers of a popular iced drink after her four-year-old daughter became unresponsive shortly after consuming it. Specialists have since issued an urgent advisory about the risks associated with these beverages, particularly for young children.
Kim Moore, a 35-year-old mother of two, was attending a children’s party when her daughter, Marnie, suddenly collapsed. The child, who had been enjoying a slushy drink, became “floppy and unconscious,” leaving her mother in a state of panic. With no response from her daughter, Moore rushed both Marnie and her older sister, Orla, to the hospital.
Doctors at the hospital quickly determined that Marnie’s blood sugar levels had dropped to dangerously low levels. The cause? The slushy drink she had consumed just minutes before passing out.
“We ended up buying two one-litre refillable cups,” Moore explained. “The kids were running around, playing, eating, and getting drinks. Marnie didn’t even finish her cup—she had probably only had half. Then, about ten minutes later, she started getting really aggravated and sleepy. At first, I thought she was just overtired. But when I tried to wake her up, she wouldn’t respond—she was completely unconscious. She had gone really pale.”
Marnie remained unresponsive for approximately 25 minutes before medical professionals were able to stabilize her. She was hospitalized for three days as doctors worked to restore her blood sugar levels.
Upon further investigation, Moore suspected that her daughter had suffered from glycerol poisoning. Glycerol, a common ingredient in slushy drinks, can cause a range of symptoms, including headaches, nausea, dizziness, shock, and, in extreme cases, loss of consciousness.
“In the hospital, she screamed out in agony, saying her head hurt, and then she vomited everywhere,” Moore recalled. “Looking back, she had every single symptom of glycerol toxicity. We were transferred to another hospital, but they couldn’t figure out what had caused it. Then, we started looking into the slushy because that was the only thing different she had that day.”
Now, Moore is speaking out against slushy drinks, calling them “poison” and advocating for restrictions on their sale to young children.
“I personally wouldn’t let my child drink one at all,” she stated. “It’s not a risk I’m willing to take. In all honesty, I don’t think they should be sold to kids under 12. I wouldn’t wish what we went through on my worst enemy—it was awful.”
Moore’s warning comes after specialists identified a concerning pattern of illnesses linked to slush-ice drinks. Recent findings revealed that 21 children had suffered similar symptoms after consuming beverages containing glycerol, prompting experts to caution against giving them to children under the age of eight.
In light of these cases, health professionals are urging parents to be aware of the potential risks and to limit or avoid offering slushy drinks to young children. As awareness spreads, authorities may soon face growing pressure to implement stricter regulations on the sale of these beverages to minors.
