toddyboman Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 I got this via email today very scary!!! If you have small children or work with them, please read this so that you will know to be careful with this stuff. This apparently happened in the Tulsa area. I don't know where to begin because the last 2 days of my life have been such a blur. Yesterday, My youngest daughter Halle who is 4, was rushed to the emergency room by her father for being severely lethargic and incoherent. He was called to her school by the school secretary for being "very VERY sick." He told me that when he arrived that Halle was barely sitting in the chair. She couldn't hold her own head up and when he looked into her eyes, she couldn't focus them. He immediately called me after he scooped her up and rushed her to the ER. When we got there, they ran blood test after blood test and did x-rays, every test imaginable. Her white blood cell count was normal, nothing was out of the ordinary. The ER doctor told us that he had done everything at he could do so he was sending her to Saint Francis for further test. Right when we were leaving in the ambulance, her teacher had come to the ER and after questioning Halle 's classmates, we found out that she had licked hand sanitizer off her hand. Hand sanitizer, of all things. But it makes sense. These days they have all kinds of different scents and when you have a curious child, they are going to put all kinds of things in their mouths. When we arrived at Saint Francis, we told the ER doctor there to check her blood alcohol level, which, yes we did get weird looks from it but they did it. The results were her blood alcohol level was 85% and this was 6 hours after we first took her. There's no telling what it would have been if we would have tested it at the first ER. Since then, her school and a few surrounding schools have taken this out of the classrooms of all the lower grade classes but what's to stop middle and high schoolers too? After doing research off the internet, we have found out that it only takes 3 squirts of the stuff to be fatal in a toddler. For her blood alcohol level to be so high was to compare someone her size to drinking something 120 proof. So please PLEASE don't disregard this because I don't ever want anyone to go thru what my family and I have gone thru. Please send this to everyone you know that has children or are having children. It doesn't matter what age. I just want people to know the dangers of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 That is neat to know. However hand santizers have way more pro's than con's. I have never seen scented sanitizers but maybe the scent is what they need to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andrea Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 I'm wondering what brand. I have Purell. I've used it before and forgot about it .....then remembered VERY quickly after sticking my finger in my mouth. That stuff is NASTY. I can't imagine a child having an alcohol level that high without drinking the whole flippin bottle. ( BTW....alcohol percentage in Purell is 62%) And what kid is gonna do that unless they think this stuff tastes wonderful? This child must have squirted a handful and licked it on a dare. Ya think?? Anyone run this by Snopes? I sure haven't heard anything on the news about it.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andrea Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp Apparently it's true. Glad I don't have toddlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Lucky that did not kill the kid, hand sanitizers have a very high alcohol content, and many are scented. Never thought of the kids trying to lick it, but will definitely remember this. Another note on hand sanitizers is to be careful with them around any sort of ignition. Seems pretty obvious, but would be surprised how many people don't realize how highly flammable the stuff is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckslayer Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 I guess if they squirt a few good shots down their throat this could happen, but not from a few licks..... Lots of errors in that write-up according to snopes.... but partially true indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest swampfox Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 The germX brand sanitizer that I have in the office has 62% ethyl alcohol which makes it equivalent to 124 proof liquor. Most burboun, vodka, scotch, etc are between 70-100 proof (or 35-50%) while grain alcohol is about 190 proof. I doubt whether a lick off the hand would intoxicate even a small child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Regardless of the story it appears to have some serious possibilities. Good thing to take heed! My wife lets our daughter play in her purse from time to time. She is at the age where putting something such as this in her mouth wouldn't bother her. Im passing this around. I wondered the Validity of the story but reading about Saint Francis Hospital helped a little. Its an actual hospital in Tulsa and has a very good reputation. It is located at 61st and Yale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Snopes claims the story on the 4 year old little girl is true, she ingested a small amount that the teacher place in her palm. Check the link Andrea provided and pan down a bit to get to the story on the 4 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 The Isopropyl alcohol that is in these products is not the same kind like that of a bottle of whiskey or wine. Its poisonous! I use this type of alcohol in the printing process. But I believe it will still show up in blood alcohol tests, but it needs to be treated ASAP!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HoppeMan Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Now I know why I never use the stuff Take care, Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Now I know why I never use the stuff Take care, Nathan Its great stuff to use in a pinch! Like when you leave a public restroom that has no soap! Too much use will dry your skin out very bad! Adults need to be more careful with this product! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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