What do I do if my child swallows hand sanitiser?

Despite the Covid pandemic ending years ago, the use of hand sanitiser still remains quite popular. While it is very effective against spreading germs via hand contact, there is a downside to our society still having bottles of hand sanitiser all over the place..

Sadly reports of children accidentally (or deliberately) swallowing hand sanitiser still remain high and remain one of the highest causes of poisoning events in childcare centres. In 2021 the number of cases actually tripled!

Hand sanitiser has one problem that makes it such a risk to children. Often it has a taste, smell or even packaging that can be very appealing to children. Most hand sanitisers contain some form of alcohol, mostly likely ethanol but also sometimes isopropanol. And we all know what alcohol does to adults. It's even worse in children.

How do I know if my child has swallowed hand sanitiser?

The first sign that your child may have swallowed hand sanitiser is they will appear to be drunk. They may be unsteady on their feet and have blurred speech. They may have nausea and vomiting or they may exhibit signs of euphoria or be disorientated, not knowing where they are.

Sweet smelling breath is another sign they may have ingested hand sanitiser.

If they have only swallowed a small amount or just licked some off the bottle or their hands, don’t panic. Most cases of children swallowing hand sanitiser are mild and can be managed from home without major intervention.

Who do I call?

If you suspect your child may have swallowed some hand sanitiser, even a small amount, we recommend you, immediately call the Poisons Information Cente on 13 11 26. They will advise you what to do.

Always keep the bottle of hand sanitiser close to you if you can, so that you can read the ingredients on the label to the operator on the phone..

Mostly likely they will advise you to simply reassure the child, keep them calm and give them some sweet food or drink. DO NOT TRY TO INDUCE VOMITING. They may have an upset stomach but generally children don’t consume large amounts of hand sanitiser.

They will also tell you to closely monitor the child and if they do not exhibit any worrying symptoms to call the centre back again in 20 minutes to give an update.

Generally the hand sanitiser will pass through the child, possibly causing mild diarrhoea, but they should recover quickly and not have any long-term effects.

What to do if your child has a severe reaction

If your child starts exhibiting extreme reactions after swallowing hand sanitiser, such as their breathing becoming depressed, their heart rate going up or their blood pressure or temperature falling, do not hesitate to call 000 for an ambulance.

If you can, remain on the line with the Poisions Information Centre (PIC) who will liase with the ambulance service about your case if you tell 000 you have been speaking with them. You should also tell the PIC if you have called an ambulance.

Remember, you know your own child’s behaviour patterns so even though most cases of swallowing hand sanitiser are mild, if you are at all worried, don’t hesitate to call 000.

First Aid guidelines for children

Always keep your child calm, and if they are disorientated don’t let them wander about, as they could injure themselves.

The best protection against serious harm is to keep hand sanitiser out of reach of young children. Keep it up on high benches or shelves.

If you are a first-time parent, the best advice is to get yourself trained in first aid so that you will always know what to do and can act swiftly to protect your child.

Are you in a new Mothers Group? Why not organise to get all of your trained in first aid? It's a fun thing to do as a group and you'll gain precious knowledge that could end up saving the life of your precious little one. If you have a group of 12 or more, we can come to you, training you anywhere in Victoria.

To find out more about our first aid training courses, including our blended courses that you can do online from the comfort of your own home, please visit: https://www.resultsfirstaid.com/courses

Q. Can new mothers get first aid training?

A. Yes! And it is something you should do as early as possible after your child is born. Just like you attend local healthcare centre to get advice about your baby, attending a first aid training course gives you a lot of confience about how to handle emergencies with your baby, especially if they accidentally ingest anything. (Babies will put all sorts of things in their mouths that they shouldn't.).

Q. What is the best way for new mothers to get first aid training?

A. The best way is often to get a group of your new mother friends together. Many local councils set up new mother's groups and so it can be more enjoyable for all of you to get together and go along to a first aid training class together.

Q. How can I make first aid training easier for me as a new mother?

A, One simple way to make first aid training easier for you as a new mother is to join in a blended class. This allows you to do all the theory training in your own time at home. You then only need to attend the group class for some practical training to finish off the course.