Flu season is coming soon, and along with it the ubiquitous bottles of waterless hand sanitizers. Pockets, key chains, purses, and desks will be adorned with the multi-colored disease fighting product before you know it. And while the alcohol-based gel is useful for killing most germs (but not for removing dirt), careful use is required to keep everyone safe.
Ingestion Poses Major Risk
It may seem like common sense, but hand sanitizer gels are for external use only. Unfortunately, young children may be attracted to the colorful and pleasantly scented gels and ingest dangerous amounts of the product. Because the alcohol content is very high, even a tiny amount can cause alcohol poisoning, a potentially fatal condition.
Keep Out of Reach of Children
Like any other chemical, hand sanitizers should be kept away from kids. This can be a major challenge, because many parents keep hand sanitizers near where their kids eat, play, and get changed as a convenient way to keep germs at bay. Alcohol-free wipes and gels are available and should be considered as an alternative. If a child (or anyone, for that matter) does ingest hand sanitizer, seek medical attention immediately.
