An increasing number of SA children are downing hand sanitiser they are easily able to access in their homes during the national lockdown.
The Covid-19 outbreak has sparked an unprecedented demand for hand sanitiser, which many South Africans have stockpiled.
The Poisons Information Helpline, run by the Red Cross Poison Centre and Tygerberg Poisons Centre, has received a number of calls from frantic parents whose children had ingested the product in the past two months.
“We received one call from a teenager who intentionally ingested hand sanitiser.
“More than 90% of hand sanitiser calls were accidental exposures,” the helpline’s Dr Cindy Stephen said.
“Hand sanitiser has not been safely stored out of the reach of children, who are naturally inquisitive.
“Of greater importance is to ensure the safe storage of all other harmful substances that young children may access in the home, especially during lockdown, such as medication, household cleaners, paraffin and pesticides.”
Stephen said none of the children who consumed sanitiser had been admitted to hospital.
“A child of one to two years old needs to drink about a teaspoon of a 70%-alcohol hand sanitiser to be at risk of developing any harmful effects.”
But not only curious children have been taking sips of alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
In the face of the government’s ongoing ban on alcohol, adults have also been ingesting it, hoping to get high.
Hand sanitiser has not been safely stored out of the reach of children, who are naturally inquisitive
— Dr Cindy Stephen, POISONS INFORMATION HELPLINE
Reports of people ingesting alcohol-based sanitiser have emerged in the Eastern Cape.
SA National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca) head Adrie Vermeulen said it was aware of such reports.
“The ban is causing desperation in people with severe substance-use disorders.
“Sanca agrees with the ban on alcohol, as it is linked to making people vulnerable to being infected.
“It is also linked to gender-based violence.
“But we are concerned that sections of the population are addicted to alcohol and can’t stop.
“There is also limited access to treatment facilities, as many are only opening on Monday as part of stage 4 of lockdown.
“These desperate behaviours are problematic and we are concerned for the health of our clients.
“This shows again that we don’t understand that addiction is a medical condition that affects the functioning of the brain.
“As the addiction progresses, the frontal cortex is compromised and the brain is controlled by the impulse to use, no matter the consequences.
“We see this irrational and illogical behaviour all the time, but the lockdown has forced people to become more aware and desperate,” Vermeulen said.
Stephen said the dangers of adults drinking significant volumes of alcohol-based hand sanitiser depended on the type of alcohol used to make it, “as well as many other ingredients added to a particular product”.
“Essentially, the dangers are the same as far as ethanol poisoning/intoxication or isopropyl alcohol poisoning.
“Other effects may also occur, depending on the constituents of a specific hand sanitiser, such as those containing chlorhexidine.”
Stephen said denatured alcohol should be used in hand sanitiser, making it unfit for human consumption.
“This is done by adding one or more chemicals to the ethanol to make it taste bitter.” — TimesSELECT
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