Sources of alcohol to a young child:
(1) hard liquour
(2) beer or wine
(3) mouthwash
(4) aftershave lotion
(5) perfume or cologne
(6) cough or cold medicine
Although the ingestion is usually accidental, occasionally an adult may have given the alcohol to the child.
Clinical findings:
(1) altered mental status (drowsiness, sleepiness, lethargy, unconsciousness)
(2) vomiting
(3) ataxia
(4) acting "cute" or showing off
(5) areflexia
(6) shallow breathing, depressed respirations
(7) hypotension
(8) hypothermia
If ethanol intoxication is suspected, then a blood alcohol concentration should be measured.
Complications:
(1) hypoglycemia (associated with blood ethanol concentrations > 20 mg/dL)
(2) alcoholic ketoacidosis
(3) aspiration pneumonia
(4) seizures
(5) cerebral edema
A dose of 3 grams ethanol per kg body weight may be lethal to a child.
Children eliminate ethanol faster than adults (approximately 2 times faster).
