“People are not aware”: health warning issued about hand sanitiser
Health experts are warning parents to treat hand sanitiser like they would any other medication and keep it out of reach of children.
The warning comes after a spike in accidental poisonings in children from hand sanitiser.
According to 9 News, NSW has seen a three-fold increase in emergency calls about children ingesting the product.
Genevieve Adamo, Senior Pharmacist at the NSW Poisons Information Centre, told the news site, “People are not aware of how potentially toxic this can be to children.
“It can affect blood sugar levels; it can also affect levels of consciousness and cause vomiting and start to affect other body systems.”
The increase in hand sanitiser use has also left some people wondering if it’s possible to over sanitise.
Dr Vanessa Clifford, from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, says, “It’s unlikely that anybody using hand sanitisers at the frequency that they are likely to use them … they aren’t going to do much harm to themselves.”
Read hand sanitiser reviews.
Should I make my own hand sanitiser?
For many, the sight of hand sanitiser on supermarket shelves is rare, leading them to think about making their own.
It’s important to point out that nothing beats washing your hands with soap and water (for 20 seconds while singing happy birthday twice). But when you’re out and about, hand sanitiser is the next best thing.
If you can find rubbing alcohol and aloe vera, then you can certainly give making it a go – but there’s a good chance you will be disappointed.
“The mix created weird globules”
An article published in The New York Times shared one writer’s experience.
“After mixing alcohol and aloe vera gel in a bowl, the mix created weird globules, and the gel began to separate and sink to the bottom,” wrote Tara Parker-Pope. “After mixing a few more times, the final product was runny and more like straight alcohol than the easy-to-apply gel I was hoping for. (And after a few hours it began to separate again.)”
We should also point out that some experts are warning against making it yourself. Healthline reports the “recipes are too complicated for most people, and products that are mixed incorrectly can cause burns or other issues.”
The good news is that many distilleries are now turning their attention to making hand sanitiser and it’s available to the public.
Just make sure you keep it out of reach of your children.
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