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Children and Hand Sanitizer
In 2015, the Georgia Poison Center and Georgia Emergency Rooms noticed a troubling trend—children drinking hand sanitizer.
- Most hand sanitizers contain more than 60% ethyl alcohol (ethanol) - more than most hard liquors
- Drinking ethanol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning
- Since 2010, poison centers have seen a 394% increase in hand sanitizer calls to their emergency hotlines
All hand sanitizing products are safe and effective when used properly, but there is a potential for abuse. The alcohol used in the product has been altered to make it taste bad, but this may not discourage some children from purposely drinking hand sanitizer in order to “get a buzz,” “get drunk,” or from a dare. Teachers and parents should be aware of this and be on the lookout for any abuse.
If it is suspected that someone has swallowed some hand sanitizer, the Georgia Poison Center should be contacted immediately by dialing 1-800-222-1222. Telephone lines are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by doctors, pharmacists, nurses, toxicologists and poison information specialists. The service is free and the information provided is kept private and confidential.
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Web Photos Can Reveal Secrets
Parents may not realize that when they or their children upload photos to the Internet they can disclose where they live, work, and play. Geotags identify where the photo or video was taken.
- New York Times: "Web Photos That Reveal Secrets, Like Where You Live"
- NBC Chicago: "Online Photos Could Give Strangers Your Exact Location" (Video)
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More Children In Booster Seats
As of 2011, more children are required to use car booster seats under state law. Under the measure, nearly all children ages seven and under must sit in booster seats while riding in a car in Georgia.
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Stay Aware of Safety in Your Neighborhood
The Police Email Notification System (PENS) is maintained by Cobb Police to enhance communication between the county’s five police precincts and the communities they serve. The objective of the program is the establishment of e-mail contact with official representatives of Cobb's homeowners associations (HOAs) and business leaders on matters of safety and security. The police will notify businesses and HOAs about crime updates, community rumors, tips on crime prevention and BOLO (Be On the Look Out) information. Visit the PENS website for more information.
The Cobb County Department of Public Safety can also deliver real-time emergency notifications specific to an individual’s geographic area via text and email using a web-based system called Nixle. These messages will go to you from the Public Information Office of the Cobb County Police Department and other public safety divisions within Cobb County. You can expect the following types of notifications from Nixle:
- Armed or dangerous persons in their area
- Missing person alerts to include Amber Alerts, Levi's Call and Mattie's Call
- Fatality or severe injury accidents resulting in significant traffic delays
- Other critical incidents that require real-time notification
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Cybersafety Booklet For Parents and Kids
Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online is a booklet released by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that tells parents and teachers what they need to know to talk to kids about issues like cyber bullying, sexting, mobile phone safety, and protecting the family computer. The free booklet and other internet security resources are available on the FTC's online safety website.
