Georgia Children Hospitalized for Drinking Hand Sanitizer

Georgia parents are being warned to keep a closer eye on their children after several reports have come in of youngsters hospitalized after drinking hand sanitizer.

Poison control officials say that some hand sanitizers are up to 95 percent concentrated ethanol, the same kind of alcohol found in beer and liquor. Children have suffered alcohol poisoning after consuming the liquid, some of whom are drinking to get drunk.

“Though a tiny amount of hand sanitizer that may have been licked from your hands is unlikely to cause you to become ill, ingesting more than a taste could put you at risk for alcohol poisoning,” the Georgia Poison Center says.

Between 2010 and 2013, the Georgia Poison Center experienced a 339 percent increase in reported hand sanitizer calls to children. In 2013, the center fielded 622 sanitizer exposure calls, 601 involving children 12 or younger.

The Georgia Poison Center recommends the following steps to ensure your child is not at risk of ingesting hand sanitizer:

• Keep hand sanitizer stored out of the reach and sight of children
• Hand sanitizer should be used with careful adult supervision
• Consider the use of non-alcohol based products and wipes
• If it is suspected that someone has swallowed some hand sanitizer, the Georgia Poison Center should be contacted immediately by dialing 1-800-222-1222