Toddler Gets Alcohol Poisoning From Drink

ALEXANDRIA, La. – A 16-month-old girl suffered moderate to severe alcohol poisoning after she consumed part of a mixed drink while an uncle was baby-sitting her, Rapides Parish sheriff’s investigators said.

Hospital personnel told investigators Thursday the child would be OK, said Detective Stacy Bender.

Toddlers exposed to alcohol may suffer suppression of their internal systems, including respiratory functions, said Dr. Yasser Nakhlawi, chief of pediatrics at Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital and a professor at Tulane University Medical School. If a child consumes enough alcohol, it can cause death, he said.

“A child shouldn’t be near alcohol,” Nakhlawi said. “There are too many dangers involved.”

The 16-month-old was nauseated and lethargic when brought Tuesday night to the Rapides Regional Medical Center’s emergency room. The uncle was baby-sitting the child while her mother was at work, and another relative brought the child to the hospital after she became ill.

The child apparently consumed the alcoholic drink by accident, detectives said. How much time elapsed after she drank the alcohol before being taken to the hospital is unknown, detectives said.

The state Department of Social Services is investigating the incident.

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Information from: Alexandria Daily Town Talk, http://www.thetowntalk.com