Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Florida, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA (Joseph MM, Reader S)Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Pediatric Residency Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA (Zeretzke C) University of Florida College of Pharmacy and College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine University of Florida Health Science Center-Jacksonville, USA (Sollee DR).
World J Emerg Med. 2011;2(3):232-3. doi: 10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2011.03.014.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHSs) have been widely used in homes, workplaces and schools to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We report a young child unintentionally ingested ABHS at a school, resulting in intoxication.
The child was a 6-year-old girl who had been brought to the emergency department (ED) for hypothermia, altered mental status (AMS), periods of hypoventilation, hypothermia and vomiting. Computed tomography of her head revealed nothing abnormal in intracranial pathology. Urine drug screening was negative. Alcohol level was 205 mg/dL on admission. Other abnormal values included potassium of 2.8 mEq/L, osmolality of 340 mOsm/kg and no hypoglycemia. Further investigation revealed that the patient had gone frequently to the class restroom for ingestion of unknown quantities of ABHSs during the day. The patient was admitted for one day for intravenous fluid hydration and close observation of her mental status.
The patient was discharged from the hospital the next day without any complications.
Despite the large safety margin of ABHSs, emergency physicians need to be aware of the potential risk of ingestion of a large amount of such products in children and consider it in the assessment and management of school-age children with acute AMS.
含酒精的洗手液（ABHS）已广泛用于家庭、工作场所和学校，以预防传染病的传播。我们报告了一名年幼的孩子在学校不慎摄入 ABHS，导致中毒。
患儿为 6 岁女孩，因体温过低、神志改变（AMS）、呼吸频率降低、体温过低和呕吐被带到急诊部（ED）。头部计算机断层扫描显示颅内无异常病理。尿液药物筛查呈阴性。入院时酒精水平为 205mg/dL。其他异常值包括血钾 2.8mEq/L、渗透压 340mOsm/kg 和无低血糖。进一步调查显示，患者白天频繁到班级休息室摄入未知量的 ABHS。患者住院一天，接受静脉补液和密切观察精神状态。
次日患者无任何并发症出院。
尽管 ABHS 的安全范围很大，但急诊医生需要意识到儿童大量摄入此类产品的潜在风险，并在评估和管理学龄儿童急性 AMS 时考虑到这一点。
