UAE: Doctors warn of hand sanitiser’s risks to children

UAE: Doctors warn of hand sanitiser’s risks to children

Doctors in the UAE have advised parents to be cautious when allowing their children to use hand sanitisers, shining a spotlight on their potential risks. A recent international study found that hand sanitisers harm and hurt children's eyes. Last month, a four-year-old child in the UAE after hand sanitiser from a foot-operated station was accidentally squirted directly into it. According to her parents, the accident occurred when the child playfully touched the hand sanitiser station at a public place while she stood directly under it. The child was rushed to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where doctors immediately washed the child's eye, administered antibiotics to prevent infection, and applied eye drops to reduce discomfort. She was diagnosed with a near-total corneal abrasion caused by the alcohol and alkaline chemical additives in the sanitiser. Dr Razia Mele Vallopra, a specialist paediatrician at Prime Medical Centre Al Nahda, says it is now a common sight to see parents sanitising their children's hands multiple times during the 15 minutes inside her consultation room. "Sanitisers is also being used on the hands of younger children lavishly. Dispensers are placed in prominent locations in public places like malls leading to unsupervised use by children," she said.