In case you haven’t heard, their have been e-mails circulating recently concerning the dangers posed by hand sanitizers to children. Basically the e-mail relays the story of a pre-kindergarten child that licked scented hand sanitizer off of her hand and swallowed it instead of rubbing it into her skin. The child had to be rushed to the hospital and treated for a high level of intoxication. This was not the only case in which a child became intoxicated from licking the sweet scented hand sanitizers.
Hand sanitizers do contain over 60% alcohol. This is a high concentration. If used properly, the hand sanitizer will not pose a threat to children. However, if a child ingests the hand sanitizer it can result in intoxication and, depending on the amount, more serious implications. But hand sanitizer is not the only ordinary household product that can pose a danger if misused by a child. Mouthwash also contains a high level of alcohol. And toothpastes contain enough fluoride to warrant a warning on the label instructing parents to ensure their children do not swallow the product.
The important think to keep in mind is that many products require parental supervision. As an adult, it would never cross your mind to consume a hygienic product. But to a child, if it smells edible, it must be edible. It is critical that parents stay abreast of potential dangers to their child. But as long as you keep items like hand sanitizers up out of their reach so that you can always supervise their use, there is no reason to be alarmed. And it wouldn’t hurt to purchase products whose scents don’t resemble something your child would like to taste.