My 3-Year-Old Son Nearly Died From Drinking a Slushy; Now I Want Them Banned

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After her son became extremely ill after eating a typical childhood treat, one mom from Scotland now wants it taken off store shelves. When 29-year-old Victoria Anderson’s 3-year-old son, Angus, wanted to try a slushy drink, the mother didn’t think anything of it. Although he’d never had one before, she saw no harm in letting him indulge. What happened next terrified her.

Angus reportedly began groaning in pain and eventually lost consciousness. After a terrifying trip to the hospital, the mother found out the ingredients in the slushy were to blame. She is thankful Angus is alive and has vowed never to give him a slushy again. But she's not stopping there.

It started as a normal day.

@netmums Parents have been urged NOT to give kids slushy ice drinks after children have been hospitalised. The Food Standards Authority says the drinks can be toxic, and even having one slushy can be a risk for young kids. This is due to the levels of glycerol in them. The new FSA guidance states: ‘At very high levels of exposure – typically when several of these products are drunk by a child in a short space of time – glycerol intoxication could cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness.’ For more details on the story head to Netmums.com #slushy #hotweathersafety #childsafety #FSA #netmums ♬ original sound - Netmums

Anderson, a mother of five, had given her older sons slushies in the past, so when Angus wanted to try a raspberry treat at a corner store, she gave it to him, Kennedy News reported via the New York Post. A few minutes later, he reportedly became cranky and said he wanted to go home. She didn’t think much of it, and the family continued their shopping trip.

“We walked around the shop a bit more, and as I turned around, I could hear him moaning again,” she told Kennedy News. “I thought he’d thrown himself on the floor having a temper tantrum."

This was more than just a tantrum.

The mom told the news outlet that she quickly realized Angus was having a seizure. She said he was limp, and his eyes were blank. She understandably panicked.

“I started screaming, ‘Somebody get me an ambulance!’” she explained. “I thought I’d lost him. His body went stone cold.”

Emergency crews arrived and determined that Angus’ blood sugar levels were dangerously low, and he needed to get to the hospital right away. They took him to Glasgow Children’s Hospital for help.

A terrified Anderson could not wait to talk to the doctors.

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Her son was not awake, and she couldn’t understand what had happened to him.

“He was unconscious for about two hours. It was the scariest thing I’d ever experienced,” she told Kennedy News. “He was well that day — there was nothing obviously wrong with him. There’s nothing like this in the family.”

Doctors asked about what he had consumed that day, and she told them about the slushy. The medical team determined that the sugar drink was, in fact, the culprit. “The doctors said the slushy had caused glycerol toxicity,” the mom explained.

Food Standards Scotland issued a warning about slushies in June 2023.

Before Angus’ illness, the government department had reported two other children had become sick after consuming slushies, and the agency wanted parents to be aware of that.

“Although glycerol is generally of low toxicity, there are concerns about the effect on young children when large quantities are consumed over a short period of time,” the agency remarked.

Glycerol is approved for consumption.

@stvnews New voluntary guidance has said that slushie drinks should not be given to children under four due to their 'intoxicating' effect. #slushie #worldnews #glycerol #scotland ♬ original sound - STV News

According to Chemicalsafetyfacts.org, glycerol, commonly known as sugar alcohol, is often found in health and beauty products and pharmaceuticals and as a sweetener in food. The Food and Drug Administration approves it, but it can be dangerous in high amounts.

Anderson said she didn’t know that and added that her kids won’t be drinking them anymore.

“I’ll never buy slushies again. You just don’t know what’s in these drinks,” she said. “I just want to make as many moms aware as possible what can happen buying these drinks.”