Latest news with #toddlers
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Warning over slushie drinks – as age it becomes ‘unsafe for children' revealed after girl left ‘minutes from death'
PARENTS have been warned about the dangers of giving slushies to their children after one toddler nearly died and several others were rushed to hospital. Food safety watchdogs say kids under seven should avoid the icy drinks, which may contain high levels of a syrup that can be harmful to young children. 7 7 The brightly coloured slushies are a popular summer treat, often sold at cinemas, corner shops and theme parks when it is hot. But the frozen drinks often contain glycerol, a sugar substitute that gives slushies their signature semi-frozen texture. In updated guidance, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has also warned that children aged between seven and ten should not have more than one 350ml slush drink a day. That is the same size as a can of Coca-Cola. "As we head into the summer holidays, we want parents to be aware of the potential risks associated with slush ice drinks containing glycerol," Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Advisor at the FSA, said. "While these drinks may seem harmless and side effects are generally mild, they can, especially when consumed in large quantities over a short time, pose serious health risks to young children." The new warning comes amid a surge in horrifying reports of children collapsing after consuming the drinks. One two-year-old girl was left '20 minutes from death' after having a slushy drink at her friend's birthday party, according to her grandmother. In March, doctors also blamed slushies for a spate of 21 hospitalisations in children who needed medical care within an hour of consuming the drinks. Prof Robin added: "That's why we're recommending that children under seven should not consume these drinks at all, and children aged 7 to 10 should have no more than one 350ml serving." Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol, also called E422 or glycerine on some label, as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. Urgent warning over popular drink after toddler collapses in front of terrified mum The sugar substitute is also found in some other foods, like protein bars and sugar free chewing gum, but at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks. Consumed at high levels, glycerol can cause very low blood sugar levels and unconsciousness in young children - also known as glycerol intoxication syndrome. Dr Duane Mellor, registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston Medical School in Birmingham, previously told Sun Health why children - who are smaller than adults - are more at risk of drinking dangerous amounts. "If too much glycerol is consumed too quickly and in too large a volume, it can potentially change the blood concentration," Dr Mellor said. "This can then affect the amount of fluid around the brain, leading to symptoms including confusion, dizziness, nausea and even, on occasion, loss of consciousness." Pharmacist Abbas Kanani, from Chemist Click, told Sun Health: "Glycerol may cause side effects such as nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, and headaches. 7 "In the case of slush-ice drinks, the dangers are typically associated with very high levels of exposure and may lead to glycerol intoxication, which could cause hypoglycaemia, shock and loss of consciousness. "The Food Standards Agency state that there are concerns about its acute effects on young children when consumed in large amounts over a short period, leaving them vulnerable to the symptoms listed above. "Whilst symptoms are usually mild, young children may suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol." And Dr Arindam Das, Doctify-rated Consultant Paediatrician, warned in hot weather, kids may drink slushies quickly to cool down, which increases the risk of slushie headaches, glycerol poisoning and dehydration if slushies replace water. According to the FSA, just one 350ml drink with the highest levels of glycerol could potentially cause a problem for a four-year-old. In youngsters aged five to ten, one and a half of these drinks can have dangerous effects, if consumed quickly. Signs of glycerol intoxication syndrome CHILDREN below the age of 10 may suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol. 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. Typical early warning signs of hypoglycaemia are feeling hungry, trembling or shakiness, and sweating. In more severe cases, you may also feel confused and have difficulty concentrating. In very severe cases, a person experiencing hypoglycaemia can lose consciousness. Source: Food Standards Agency/ NHS Slushies were traditionally made with a sugar solution to prevent the liquid from fully freezing, typically using around 12g of sugar per 100ml. But modern recipes often use glycerol (E422), which allows the same slushy texture with just 5g of sugar per 100ml. Food safety authorities have previously warned that just one 350ml drink containing about 17.5g of glycerol, roughly three teaspoons, could theoretically push children under four over the safe threshold for glycerol consumption. Experts also warn that older children may be at risk of glycerol intoxication if they consume multiple slushies in a short space of time. According to the FSA most slushies contain around 16g of glycerol, although there is no legal maximum limit, and brands are not required to list the amount on labels. Some companies, including Slush Puppie, have already removed glycerol from their recipes in response to growing safety concerns. Parents are advised to check product labels or signage at the point of sale and ask retailers whether the drinks contain glycerol, according to the FSA. 'Absolute fear' Arla Agnew, two, was left falling in and out of consciousness after enjoying the popular frozen treat at a neighbour's birthday party. Arla's gran, Stacey, 39, told The Scottish Sun that they youngster became "limp and lifeless" in the hours after consuming the drink and was rushed to hospital, where it was found her blood sugar levels were dangerously low. "The doctor said to us if we had been another 20 minutes it could have been so different. We were absolutely devastated," the gran added. Meanwhile, mum Roxy Wallis, 36, said her two sons fell violently ill minutes after drinking slushies. "My middle child felt sick, dizzy, and incredibly pale. By the time we reached the ticket machine, he had vomited everywhere. "At this point, my oldest son looked pale and felt sick but wasn't as bad - he was a bit bigger than his brother.' Abbas shared advice for parents in the event that their child suffers a reaction after drinking a slushy. "If you suspect intoxication from a slushie drink and your child is experiencing any symptoms, even if they are mild, seek immediate medical attention. "This is important so that your child can be assessed and any serious reactions can be ruled out." 7 7 'It was awful' Kim Moore faced every parent's worst nightmare when her daughter Marnie, then four, suddenly went "pale and unresponsive" at a children's party. The 35-year-old had bought her and older sister Orla, six, a refillable slushy but 10 minutes later Marnie fell unconscious. Desperate Kim failed to shake her daughter awake so she rushed to Burnley General Teaching Hospital in Burnley, Lancashire, where doctors discovered her blood sugar levels were dangerously low. The terrified mum-of-two feared the worst and rushed her to Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital in Blackburn, Lancashire, where she remained for the next three days. Kim said: "I was in absolute fear. If I hadn't taken her to hospital, it may have had a different outcome. "So many places promote free slushies when you play there but you're promoting poison." She added: "I don't think they should be sold to kids 12 and under in all honesty. I wouldn't wish what we went through on our worst enemy. It was awful."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
She Cringed at Couples Calling Each Other ‘Mom' and ‘Dad' Until Her Toddler Made Her Understand Why
Before having kids, Analiese Maldonado always found it a little strange when couples addressed each other as 'Mom' and 'Dad.' 'I couldn't imagine talking to my husband and saying, 'Daddy, what should we do for dinner tonight?'' Maldonado, 31, tells with a mock shudder. Then her 14-month-old son, Anthony, began wandering through their South Carolina house, calling for 'Babe,' otherwise known as his father, Roberto — and suddenly Maldonado got it. Once your toddler starts repeating everything you say, Maldonado realized it's only natural to start referring to your partner by the name your child knows. 'Babe! Babe! Babe!' Anthony says in a now-viral TikTok video, as he looks around for his dad. It seems toddlers calling their parents by affectionate nicknames is a charming and common milestone. "My daughter called me babe before she called me mom lol." "Our daughter called her dad Honey for 3 yrs." "my cousin is in his 40s and still calls his mom darling because that how his dad called her." "My son calls my husband 'baby' full time." "My sister's son calls his dad 'sugar.'" "My kids call my husband babe even in the most serious situations and it's really funny." As a physical therapist who often works with elderly clients, Maldonado often asks routine questions only to hear a patient call out, 'Hey, Mom, what's the name of my primary care physician? Perhaps they, too, learned early on the power of pet names around little ones. "It makes sense to me now!" she says, with a laugh. This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Walmart's 'Adorably Spooky' Halloween Sets Are Literally Flying Off Shelves Thanks to Moms
Walmart's 'Adorably Spooky' Halloween Sets Are Literally Flying Off Shelves Thanks to Moms originally appeared on Parade. Walmart is helping moms kick off the spooky season early. We may be in the thick of the summer heat, but the retailer launched Glow in the Dark pajama sets that are flying off the shelves. No, literally, I had to go to several Walmart locations to snag the Ghostbusters set for my kiddo—and even then, there were only a few sizes left. The hope, however, is that Walmart will see how popular the jammies are among mothers who are willing to pay whatever price—in this case $10.98—to keep their little ones happy and be compelled to restock them ASAP. The character 2-piece sets range from 12 months to 5T sizes. In addition to Ghostbusters (slime green with Ecto-1, Stay Puft and other prints on it), you can choose from Halloween-inspired Care Bear, Bluey, Mickey Mouse, Monsters Inc., The Nightmare Before Christmas, Casper, and ScoobyDoo designs. Parents on social media were all about it, as the Walmart Gems noted, "IT'S HAPPENING! 👻 It may be super early, but these new toddler Halloween pajama sets are absolutely adorable! 🥰" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Walmart Gems (@walmartgems) Another account, That Mommy, shared a video from the in-store display, writing, "✨Cutest Halloween Pajamas Have Entered the Chat! 🎃🧸." "Walmart just dropped the sweetest spooky PJs for toddlers and I'm OBSESSED. Some even glow in the dark — how cute is that for trick-or-treat season!? 🪄💫," the post continued, adding that they are "Perfect for movie nights, pumpkin patches, and bedtime snuggles. Sizes are already flying off the racks!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by THAT MOMMY| Shopping Finds| THAT GIRL (@thatmommy_) "These are all so adorably spooky 🧡," someone commented, as another added, "Absolute cutest 🎃." The fabric is super soft to the touch and will be perfect for when the weather cools down in the fall, though a handful of comments warned that they do shrink in the wash, so read the instructions carefully and proceed with caution. Most simply expressed disappointment that the sizes didn't go higher, as another stated, "I honestly would love adult size lol 😂😂." While shoppers reported many styles may be out of stock, you can still haunt them down for shipping online right here! 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Walmart's 'Adorably Spooky' Halloween Sets Are Literally Flying Off Shelves Thanks to Moms first appeared on Parade on Jul 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Appalling secrets of couple who 'bought' 21 surrogate children including 17 toddlers for nanny-filled mansion
BREAKING NEWS Appalling secrets of couple who 'bought' 21 surrogate children including 17 toddlers for nanny-filled mansion A couple who had 21 surrogate children including 17 toddlers in their mansion didn't tell surrogates about the huge army of youngsters they were building, it is claimed. Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38, who were arrested and charged in May, also hired a fleet of abusive nannies to care for their mega-brood, it was alleged Wednesday. The age-gap pair, who lived in an enormous $4.1 million mansion in Arcadia, just north of Los Angeles, are said to have sought the help of a huge fleet of surrogates because Silvia wanted a huge family. Details of their astonishing family emerged this week after all 21 of the children were taken into custody by social services. And a haunting photo of one of the babies emerged online after the infant's surrogate mother Kayla Elliot, 27, launched a bid to get the baby back. Elliott says she was told the baby was going to a loving family who only had one child. But CBS Los Angeles said the huge brood of children kept secret by Xuan and Zhang were aged between two months-old and 13 years-old, with seventeen aged three or under. One of the surrogate mothers who gave up her child to the couple, Kayle Elliot, 27, said she was heartbroken to discover that her baby girl was not given to a loving family with only one child, as she had been told A California couple who acquired 21 surrogate-born children kept them in a hotel-style $4.1 million mansion where they were abused, police say Investigators believe the couple solicited babies from surrogate mothers from around the country, none of whom knew they were carrying embryos for the same couple at the same time. They were busted after security cameras in the home allegedly showed their nanny Chunmei Li, 56, 'physically and verbally' abusing the children, and a warrant has been issued for her arrest. Neighbors said the sprawling nine-bedroom mansion is set up like a hotel, with a 'hotel desk and a gentleman sitting behind it like a clerk', local Art Romero told CBS News. Despite Zhang's alleged claim that she just wanted a large family, one expert fears the mega-family may have been connected to trafficking. Guojun Xuan, 65, (pictured) and his partner Silvia Zhang, 38, were arrested for felony child endangerment this week after cops found they had 21 children from surrogate mothers Zhang (pictured) and Xuan allegedly had 15 children in their home aged between two months and 13-years-old, and six other children had also been moved to other homes In a GoFundMe set up by Kayla Elliot as she tries to regain custody of her baby girl, she wrote that her child 'deserves stability, love, and a safe home.' All of the children were taken into the custody of Department of Children and Family Services, with Elliot saying she wants to take her home to Texas to be 'in a nurturing environment rather than staying in foster care.' Elliot told ABC7 that she believed the couple were clients of a surrogate agency, however cops now believe they were allegedly running the agency themselves. 'It's horrific, it's disturbing, it's damaging emotionally,' she said. Elliot said the couple told her they only had one other child, and is now hoping to get custody of the child she bore for them. 'These agencies, we're supposed to trust them and follow their guidance and come to find out this whole thing was a scam, and the parents own the agency - that was not disclosed at all beforehand,' she added. Elliot said she is now hoping to regain custody of the child she bore for the couple, and described the allegations as 'horrific, disturbing, (and) damaging emotionally' Neighbors said the couple's lavish mansion was set up 'like a hotel', with a lobby and nine bedrooms Xuan and Zhang were released following their arrest in May, but Arcadia police say they are still searching for Li, the nanny, who allegedly abused the children in the home. Detectives told CBS News that other nannies employed by the couple were also seen abusing the children in home security cameras. Although having dozens of children through surrogates is not illegal, officials said they are investigating the startling find inside the home. The sheer number of children involved and the fact many are so close in age to one another has raised alarm bells. Kallie Fell, executive director of the nonprofit Center of Bioethics and Culture, told ABC7 that while the couple may not have broken the law by having so many surrogate children, the situation made her fear they were part of a human trafficking ring. Fell, who is working with Elliot, said that the surrogacy industry is unregulated, and oftentimes, 'anything goes.' 'And these clinics, these agencies are not regulated by any governing body,' she said. 'That to me smells of trafficking... What are the intentions of having that many children at home through these assisted reproductive technologies?' Officials issued an arrest warrant for their nanny Chunmei Li, 56, (pictured), who allegedly abused the children 'verbally and physically' It is unclear what the couple do for work or how they acquired their considerable wealth, with public records showing they are connected to a number of investment firms. Arcadia police Lt. Kollin Cieadlo said that the couple 'took legal guardianship of those kids' after they were born through surrogates, before Li allegedly abused the children as their nanny. 'The discipline, both verbally and physical, was severe to the point where it supported the beliefs that child abuse was occurring inside the home Cieadlo said. The Arcadia police said the FBI has joined its investigation into a suspected mass-surrogacy operation owned and ran by Xuan and Zhang.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Is It Time to Drop the Nap? How to Handle Nap Refusal and Start Quiet Time
Your toddler has been a pretty solid napper…until recently. Now, they're skipping naps some days, resisting rest on others, and you're left wondering: Are they done napping? Or is this just a phase? You're not alone. Nap transitions can be confusing, especially when your child seems wide awake at nap time but overtired by dinner. Knowing what's typical and what's truly a transition can help you respond with less stress. Most kids drop their final nap by around age five, though some continue to nap even longer. If your toddler is between 18 months and 3 years and suddenly resisting naps, chances are they're not ready to give it up for good. At this age, toddlers may refuse naps because: They're going through a developmental leap or language burst They don't want to miss out on playing, reading, or being with family They're becoming more aware of their autonomy and testing boundaries In other words, it's not always about sleep, but about control, connection, and curiosity. That resistance can be frustrating, but it doesn't always mean the nap is no longer needed. If your child is over three and consistently skipping naps for two weeks straight despite you still offering it daily, then they may be ready to drop it. But here's the key: even one or two naps during that time means it's worth continuing to offer. Some kids this age nap only 2–3 times a week. That still counts. And those naps? They can make a big difference in mood, meltdowns, and even nighttime sleep. If your child is resisting naps but not quite ready to drop them, a few small shifts can help: Stick with the right timing. Toddlers who take one nap usually do best with a nap time between 12:30 and 2:00 p.m. Older kids may nap later, as long as bedtime doesn't slide past 9:00 pm. Continue with a consistent nap routine. Toddlers thrive on predictability. Saying goodbye to toys, tucking in stuffed animals, and following familiar wind-down steps helps signal that it's time to rest. Keep the environment calm, make the room dark and cool, and offer a few books in the crib or sleep space. If your child says they don't want to sleep, you can calmly respond, 'That's okay. You don't have to sleep, but you can rest or read quietly.' Offer small choices. Toddlers love feeling in control. Try, 'Do you want the blue blanket or the green one?' or 'Which book should we read before nap?' Talk about the 'why.' Try: 'It's rest time. Why do we rest? So we can play and have fun during the day.' When they connect naps to playtime, they're more likely to buy in. Starting this at a young age and with consistency is so helpful. If your child is consistently skipping naps for two weeks straight and they're over three, they may be ready to make the switch. You might also notice they're still napping, but bedtime becomes a battle. In that case, try: Moving the nap earlier Shortening the nap Replacing it with quiet time Don't be in a rush to drop the nap altogether. Many kids still benefit from the downtime, even if it's not true sleep. If you're seeing cranky afternoons or restless nights, that's your cue to adjust. Dropping a nap doesn't mean you have to give up your midday break. Quiet time is a solid reset for your child and for you. Like us parents, kids benefit from space to recharge. It helps them reset emotionally, play independently, and build their attention span. It's not 'wasted time,' it's rest in a new form. Here's how to get started: Choose a safe, cozy spot Let your child help pick the books or toys for quiet time Start with 10–15 minutes and gradually build up time Use a visual timer or light cue to signal when quiet time ends Remember, if quiet time is something you want to happen, be consistent and hold your boundaries. Repeat the boundary to your child: 'It's still quiet time. When the light turns green, you can come out.' Consistency helps it click over time. And without a nap, an earlier bedtime can be your best friend. Many kids need to start winding down sooner to avoid that overtired crash later in the evening. Nap transitions can be bumpy, but they're also a sign of growing independence. Whether your child is still napping occasionally or fully into quiet time, your calm consistency will anchor them through the change. And if the nap truly is over? You're not losing rest. You're just evolving it. Quiet time can still offer a daily pause for everyone to regroup. Want more toddler sleep tips and parenting support? Browse the free PedsDocTalk newsletter library for expert-backed, real-life guidance on parenting.
